ITH  WOLSELEY 
TO    KUMASI 

TALE  OF  THE    FIRST     ASHANTI    WAR 

BY    CAPT.  F.S.BRERETON.      


RARY 

tK    ITY  OF     J 
IfORNIA     / 


RECOIM 


With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 


THE    ENEMY    BOARD    THE    LAUN'CH 


With 
Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

A  Tale  of  the  First  Ashanti  War 


BY 

CAPTAIN   F.  S.  BRERETON 

Author  of 

'•With  Roberts  to  Candahar"  "The  Dragon  of  Pekin"  "Foes  of  the 

Red  Cockade"  "A  Soldier  of  Japan"  "Roger  the  Bold" 

etc     '^tc. 


ILLUSTRATED  BY  GORDON  BROWNE,  R.I. 


BLACKIE    AND    SON    LIMITED 

NEW   YORK.     LONDON     GLASGOW      DUBLIN      BOMBAY 


Copyright,  igoj 
by  Blache   &  Son,   Limited. 


CONTENTS 

CHAP. 

I.  A  Great  Misfortune 

II.  A  Gallant  Rescue    . 

III.  A  Mining  Expedition 

IV,  A  Chase  and  a  Fight 
V.  A  Question  of  Importance 

VI.  Forest  Dangers     .     .     . 

VII.  Forewarned  is  Forearmed 

VIII.  Besiegers  and  Besieged  . 

IX.  Deceiving  the  Enemy    . 

X.  A  Natht:  Fleet    .     .     . 

XI.  Running  the  Gauntlet 

XII.  In  Home  Waters  .     .     . 

XIII.  On  Special  Service    .     . 

XIV.  A  Brush  with  the  Enemy 
XV.  Bluejackets,  Charge! 

XVI.  News  from  Ashanti 

XVII.  A  Well-laid  Scheme 

XVIII.  King  Koffee,  the  Terrible 

XIX.  Dick  Strikes  a  Blow     .     . 

XX.  The  Destruction  of  Kumasi 


A/ 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PACE 

The  Enemy  Board  the  Launch     ....    Frontispiece  187 

"He  Fell  with  a  Splash  into  the  Water"     ....  64 

Johnnie  brings  Bad  News 107 

"The  Blade  Flashed  beneath  his  Arm" 130 

They  Sight  a  British  War-Vessel 198 

"Olr  Agent  was  Killed  at  the  First  Discharge"      .     .  216 

"Dick  felt  the  cruel  sting  of  the  Lashes"     ....  295 

"Dick  Struck  with  the  Swiftness  of  Lightning"    .     .  322 

Map  of  the  Gold  Coast  showing  the  Route  of  the  Kx- 

PEDiTiON 256 


CHAPTER  I 
A  Great  Misfortune 

Dick  Stapletox  tossed  restlessly  on  his  bamboo  bed, 
till  the  rickety  legs  creaked  ominously  and  the  mos- 
quito net  waved  to  and  fro,  threatening  to  descend 
upon  his  head.  The  heat  was  stifling.  Inside  his 
room  the  thermometer  stood  at  an  unusual  height,  even 
for  this  Gold  Coast  country,  where  high  readings  are 
a  common  occurrence,  and  where  hot  nights  are  the 
rule  rather  than  the  exception.  The  windows  of  the 
house  in  which  he  slept,  or  vainly  attempted  fo  do  so, 
were  thrown  wide  open,  but  despite  that  fact,  they  ad- 
mitted nothing  but  the  deep  and  ever-recurring  boom 
of  the  surf,  which  beats  upon  the  sandy  beach  of  the 
Fanti  country  without  ceasing.  Boom  !  Boom !  The 
thunder  of  the  waves  seemed  to  shake  even  the  land, 
while  in  his  mind's  eye  Dick  could  see  the  spray  rise 
high,  and  then  fall  back  as  white  as  milk,  seething  and 
foaming,  to  be  swallowed  by  the  next  breaker  as  it 
curled  its  green  crest  on  to  the  sand.  Not  a  breath 
stirred  on  this  sultry  night.  The  leaves  on  the  forest 
trees  within  a  stone's-throw  of  the  house  made  no 
movement.  Nothing,  in  fact,  appeared  to  have  the 
energy-  for  movement  on  this  night  save  the  myriad 


2         With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

mosquitoes,  which  seemed  to  revel  in  the  heat,  and  an 
occasional  beast  in  the  forest,  whose  piercing  cry  was 
wont  at  one  time  to  startle  our  hero. 

"Oh,  for  a  breeze!"  sighed  Dick.  "If  only  a  cool 
wind  would  play  into  the  room  a  fellow  might  fall 
asleep.  This  mosquito  net  stifles  me,  and  yet  I  dare 
not  throw  it  aside  or  I  shall  be  well-nigh  eaten.  I  feel, 
too,  as  if  I  had  a  little  fever,  and  that  is  just  the  very 
thing  I  wish  to  avoid.  I've  work  before  me;  difficul- 
ties to  set  aside,  and — and  affairs  to  arrange." 

For  some  reason  his  hand  sought  for  a  box  deposited 
beneath  the  bed,  and  his  fingers  touched  the  lock  to 
make  sure  that  it  was  closed, 

"All  that  stands  between  me  and  starvation,"  said 
Dick.  "Just  a  bare  two  hundred  pounds  in  gold,  a 
store  almost  depleted  of  goods,  and  two  houses  which 
no  one  seems  to  want.  There's  the  business,  too,  and 
James  Langdon." 

For  a  while  his  thoughts  went  to  the  man  whose 
name  he  had  mentioned,  and  he  brooded  uneasily. 

"He  ought  to  go,"  he  said  to  himself.  "Father 
trusted  him,  I  know ;  but  I  am  sure  of  his  dishonesty. 
He  has  been  robbing  the  store  for  years,  and  he  will 
rob  me  if  I  let  him  stay.  He  is  a  sneaking  half-caste, 
a  rogue  who  cannot  be  trusted,  and  if  it  were  not  for 
father  he  should  be  dismissed.  Well,  to-morrow  I 
will  go  into  the  matter.  I'm  tired  to-night.  If  only 
it  were  not  so  frightfully  hot !" 

Dick  was  peevish  and  out  of  temper.  He  had  worked 
hard  all  day,  and  was  very  tired,  for  the  heat  had  been 
great.  And  now  that  he  had  thrown  himself  on  his 
bed  he  could  not  sleep.     The  old  worries  filled  his 


A  Great  Misfortune  3 

mind,  only  instead  of  being  lessened,  the  silence  of  the 
night,  the  droning  insects,  the  shrill  cries  from  the  for- 
ests, and  the  deep  boom  of  the  surf,  intensified  his 
difTiciilties.  till  they  sat  upon  his  young  shoulders  like 
a  millstone.  Presently,  however,  he  fell  into  a  doze, 
and  later  his  deep  breathing  showed  that  he  was  asleep. 
Asleep?  No!  For  he  started  suddenly  and  sat  erect 
on  his  bed. 

"I  thought  I  heard  something,"  he  said  in  a  whisper. 
"That  was  a  step  outside.  Some  one  knocked  against 
the  chair  on  the  platform  and  tipped  it  over.  I  don't 
like  that  noise." 

He  threw  one  leg  half  out  of  the  bed  and  waited,  for, 
to  be  candid,  Dick  had  no  liking  for  an  encounter  with 
some  evil-doer  in  the  small  hours.  Then,  mustering 
courage,  he  threw  the  mosquito  net  aside,  rearranged 
it  o\er  the  bed,  and  stealthily  crept  to  the  farther  side. 
His  hand  sought  the  box  which  contained  his  worldly 
possessions,  and  tucking  it  beneath  his  arm  he  stole 
softly  out  on  to  the  verandah.  There  was  a  brilliant 
moon,  high  up  in  the  sky,  and  the  silvery  rays  played 
softly  upon  the  sandy  beach,  upon  the  crests  of  the 
breakers,  upon  the  white  street  and  the  white  houses, 
and  upon  the  bush  and  forest  which  formed  at  this 
time  the  surroundings  of  Cape  Coast  Castle.  There 
were  deep  shadows  everywhere,  and  Dick's  eyes  sought 
them,  and  endeavoured  to  penetrate  to  their  depths. 
He  stood  still  and  listened,  though  the  thump  of  his 
fast-beating  heart  was  all  that  came  to  his  ears  above 
the  boom  of  the  surf.  That  and  the  eternal  droning 
of  the  insects  which  swarmed  around.  No  one  seemed 
to  be  abroad  this  night,  and  yet 


4         With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

"Some  one  was  here,"  thouglit  Dick,  with  conviction, 
as  he  stepped  across  the  wooden  platform,  with  its 
overhanging  roof,  which  went  by  the  name  of  veran- 
dah. "Here  is  the  deck-chair  in  which  I  was  sitting 
just  before  I  turned  in.  and  it  is  now  on  its  side.  I 
left  it  all  right.     And That's  some  one !" 

He  drew  back  somewhat  suddenly,  while  his  breath- 
ing became  faster.  For  some  one,  an  indefinite  shape, 
a  native  perhaps,  had  stepped  from  one  of  the  shadows 
and  had  peered  at  the  verandah.  Then  detecting  the 
white  youth,  he  had  vanished  into  the  shadow  again, 
as  silently  and  as  stealthily  as  any  snake. 

"I  don't  like  that  at  all,"  thought  Dick.  "I'm  alone 
here,  and  the  people  know  that  there  is  gold.  They 
know  that  father  kept  his  money  in  the  house,  and  now 
that  he  is  gone  they  must  be  aware  that  I  have  it. 
I'll  camp  out  here  for  the  night.  I  wish  to  goodness 
I  had  gone  down  to  the  Castle  and  left  this  box  under 
lock  and  key." 

He  stepped  back  into  the  room  which  he  had  just 
vacated,  and  felt  along  the  wall  till  his  hand  hit  upon  a 
rifle.  Then  he  sought  for  cartridges,  and,  having 
found  a  handful,  tucked  them  into  the  pocket  of  his 
pyjamas,  and  one  into  the  breech  of  his  weapon.  That 
done,  he  went  on  to  the  verandah,  and,  pulling  his 
chair  into  a  corner,  sat  down  with  the  gun  across  his 
legs  and  the  box  beneath  his  feet. 

"I  could  have  slept,"  he  grumbled.  "But  that's  out 
of  the  question.  Some  blackguard  wants  the  money, 
and  that  must  be  prevented.  Besides,  these  Fantis 
would  knife  me  with  pleasure.  I  don't  care  for  the 
thought  of  that,  so  here  goes  for  a  night-watch,     Dick 


A  Great  Misfortune  5 

Stapleton.  my  hoy.  you'll  be  anything  hut  fresh  to- 
morrow." 

Had  he  been  an  older  soldier,  Dick  would  have  re- 
mained on  his  legs,  and  would  have  patrolled  the 
length  of  the  verandah,  and  even  shown  himself  be- 
yond the  house,  out  in  the  brilliant  patch  where  the 
moon  rays  fell.  But  he  w^as  only  a  young  fellow,  and. 
in  addition,  he  was  tired,  fagged  out  by  work  and 
anxiety.  The  heat  told  upon  him,  too,  and  the  boom- 
ing of  the  surf,  instead  of  helping  to  keep  him  wakeful, 
seemed,  now  that  he  was  outside  his  room,  to  lull  liim 
to  sleep. 

His  excitement,  and  the  forebodings  which  the 
strange  figure  liad  brought  to  his  mind,  soon  calmed 
down  and  disappeared.  His  head  drooped.  A  cool 
wind  got  up  and  gently  fanned  his  heated  cheek,  and 
within  half  an  hour  he  was  asleep — far  more  deeply, 
too,  than  he  had  been  when  stretched  beneath  his  mos- 
quito net.  He  snored  loudly  and  contentedly.  The 
gim  slipped  to  the  ground,  and  caused  him  to  stir  un- 
easily. But  he  did  not  awake.  He  slipped  farther 
down  into  his  chair,  and  slept  the  sleep  of  the  ex- 
hausted, oblivious  of  his  danger,  forgetful  of  the  vow 
he  had  made,  and  of  the  watch  which  he  had  meant  to 
keep.  And  his  snores,  the  click  of  his  rifle,  and  the 
shufHe  of  his  feet  as  he  stretched  them  out,  were  as  a 
signal  to  the  rascal  who  lurked  in  the  shadows.  He 
slipped  into  the  open  and  listened.  Then  he  dropped 
on  all  fours,  and  stealthily  crept  towards  the  verandah. 
At  times  he  was  hidden  in  the  deep  shade  cast  by  the 
many  shrubs  which  surrounded  the  house,  while  at 
others  he  knelt   fullv  outlined — a  short,  broad-shoul- 


6         With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

dered  savage,  as  naked  as  the  day  when  he  was  born, 
dark  grey  in  colour,  and  gHstening  under  the  moon's 
rays,  for  his  body  was  freely  anointed  with  oil.  At 
such  moments  his  pace  quickened  till  he  reached  an- 
other friendly  shadow,  where  he  lurked  for  a  minute 
or  more,  only  the  whites  of  his  eyes  showing  occa- 
sionally as  he  stretched  his  head  from  the  shade.  Soon 
he  was  near  the  verandah,  and  seemed  on  the  point  of 
leaping  the  low  rail  which  enclosed  it,  when  an  un- 
earthly shriek — the  familiar  night-call  of  a  forest  ani- 
mal— broke  the  silence,  and  set  him  trembling. 

"I'd  wring  its  neck !"  he  growled  hoarsely,  while  he 
wiped  the  beads  of  perspiration  from  his  forehead. 
"The  brute  startled  me,  and  may  have  awakened  the 
young  fool  on  the  verandah.  If  it  has — well,  I  must 
have  the  money.  I  must  have  it  this  night,  too,  and 
without  further  waiting.  To-morrow  will  be  too  late. 
He'll  know  the  truth  then.  He's  cunning,  this  young 
Stapleton — cunning.  He's  deep  and  too  knowing, 
and  he  suspects.  To-morrow  the  books  will  show  what 
has  been  happening  these  five  years  and  more,  and 
then " 

His  eyes  rolled,  and  an  oath  escaped  his  lips,  for 
he  thought  of  the  Castle,  of  the  cell  which  would  re- 
ceive him,  and  of  the  labour  to  which  he  would  be 
condemned. 

"To-night  or  never!"  he  muttered.  "And  if  the 
youngster  stirs  or  attempts  to  hold  me,  why,  there's 
something  here  to  make  him  alter  his  mind.  Some- 
thing to  stop  him  altogether,  to  shut  his  mouth,  and 
keep  his  evidence  from  reaching  the  authorities." 

The  thought  seemed  to  please  him,  for  he  sat  back 


A  Great  Misfortune  7 

on  his  heels  and  gripped  his  revolver  more  tenaciously. 
Rut  a  moment  later  reflection  brought  some  doubt  to 
his  mind,  and  his  breathing  became  deeper  and  more 
hurried. 

"They'd  know."  he  said,  with  an  oath.  "They're 
bound  to  know,  in  any  case,  for  I  must  go.  Once  I 
have  the  money,  I  must  take  to  the  forest,  and  trust  to 
picking  up  a  boat  along  the  coast.  Even  then  I  shall 
have  to  wait  for  months,  for  there  will  be  a  hue  and 
cry.  I'll  have  to  make  for  King  KofTee's  country,  and 
take  service  with  him.  He'll  remember  who  has  been 
so  good  about  the  supply  of  gims  and  ammunition. 
Yes,  I'll  make  for  Kumasi,  and  wait  there  till  the  storm 
has  blown  over.  Ah !  he's  snoring  again.  I  must  be 
quick.  The  morning  will  be  coming  in  a  couple  of 
hours." 

The  thought  that  he  had  a  haven  near  at  hand 
seemed  to  spur  the  miscreant  on  to  his  purpose,  for  he 
rose  to  his  feet  and  emerged  into  the  open,  where  the 
brilliant  moon  showed  him  even  more  clearly.  It  was 
obvious  that  he  had  purposely  darkened  his  skin,  for 
behind  his  ears,  on  the  broad  of  his  back,  and  on  the 
palms  of  his  hands  were  dusky-white  patches,  which 
he  had  omitted  to  cover.  In  fact,  the  robber  who 
lurked  so  close  to  the  house,  and  whose  fingers  grasped 
the  revolver,  was  none  other  than  James  Langdon. 
whose  name  was  uppermost  in  Dick  Stapleton's  mind. 
This  thief,  who  came  stealthily  in  the  night,  was  the 
half-caste  manager  of  the  store  which  Dick's  father 
had  kept  for  many  a  year  in  Cape  Coast  Castle.  Short 
and  squat  he  appeared  in  the  moon's  rays,  but  the  light 
was  insufficient  to  show  what  manner  of  man  he  acta- 


8         With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

ally  was.  Had  it  been  lighter  one  would  have  seen  a 
heavy,  ugly  face,  with  thick  lips  and  splayed-out  nose, 
telling  unmistakably  of  his  negro  origin.  Crisp,  curly 
locks,  jet  black  in  colour,  covered  his  head,  while  some 
straggling  hairs  grew  from  his  upper  lip.  The  brows 
were  low,  the  eyes  too  close  together,  while  the  thick- 
ness of  the  lips  alone  seemed  to  denote  a  cruel  nature. 
James  Langdon  was,  in  fact,  far  from  prepossessing  in 
appearance,  while  he  bore  a  character  which  was  none 
of  the  best.  He  had  a  dusky  complexion,  sharp,  white 
teeth,  and  that  whiteness  of  the  eye  which  belongs  to  a 
native. 

For  years  he  had  acted  as  Mr.  Stapleton's  manager, 
and  tales  were  whispered  in  the  place  that  he  robbed 
his  employer,  that  he  had  dealings  with  the  natives  of 
the  interior  which,  had  they  come  to  the  knowledge  of 
Mr.  vStapleton  or  to  the  ears  of  the  authorities,  would 
have  gained  for  him  instant  dismissal,  and  in  all  prob- 
ability imprisonment.  But  IMr.  Stapleton  had  never 
suspected,  and  the  apathy  of  the  officials  had  caused 
them  to  disregard  rumours.  And  so  it  happened  that 
James  went  on  with  his  peculations  and  his  illicit  trad- 
ing till  Dick  came  out  to  the  Gold  Coast,  just  four 
months  before,  and  at  once  plunged  into  the  business 
with  the  intention  of  mastering  every  detail.  Gradu- 
ally, as  the  books  and  the  working  of  the  store  became 
familiar  to  him,  Dick  had  begun  to  suspect,  and  then 
had  become  almost  certain  of  the  fact  that  the  manager 
was  dishonest. 

"I'll  make  sure  first  of  all,"  he  had  said.  "I  am  new 
to  ledgers  and  journals,  and,  in  fact,  to  trade  of  any 
sort,  and  it  is  possible  that  I  may  be  mistaken.     I'll 


A  Great  Misfortune  9 

g-Q  through  the  entries  again,  so  that  there  shall  l)e  no 
room  for  doubt." 

Unconsciously  his  manner  had  altered  to  the  man- 
ager. He  ^vas  too  honest  to  be  on  familiar  terms  with 
a  man  whom  he  suspected  of  robbing  his  father  and 
as  a  result  James  guessed  that  he  was  found  out,  that 
this  young  Englishman  regarded  him  with  suspicion. 
He  would  have  fled  the  place  then  and  there  had  he  had 
the  means.  But  he  had  long  since  spent  all  his  ill- 
gotten  wealth.  He  remained,  therefore,  and  while 
still  contemplating  the  step,  went  on  with  his  work  as 
if  he  had  nothing  to  fear.  A  few  days  later  a  sharp 
bout  of  fe\er,  not  the  first  which  he  had  suffered  by  any 
means,  attacked  Mr.  Stapleton,  and  to  Dick's  inex- 
pressible grief  he  succumbed. 

"Then  I  must  go,"  said  James  Langdon,  and  with 
that  he  promptly  decided  to  rob  the  son  and  decamp. 

Only  a  week  had  passed  since  Mr.  Stapleton's  death, 
when  the  half-caste  proceeded  to  put  his  plan  into 
execution ;  and  there  he  was,  disguised  in  order  that 
Dick  should  not  recognize  him,  naked  and  well  smeared 
with  oil,  so  that  if  his  young  employer  happened  to 
awake  and  endea\oured  to  detain  him,  his  grip  would 
instantly  slip  from  his  body. 

"He's  fast  asleep,  and  now's  the  time,"  whispered 
Tames,  running  his  fingers  across  his  forehead  to  wipe 
the  perspiration  away.  "I'll  creep  in  and  search  for 
the  box." 

He  stood  to  his  full  height  and  peered  over  the  rail 
of  the  verandah  at  the  sleeping  figure.  Then  he  hoist- 
ed himself  over  the  low  wall  and  stole  along  the  wooden 
flooring.     It  took  more  than  a  minute  to  reach  the 


lo      With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

door  of  the  room  which  Dick  had  recently  vacated,  for 
the  sleeper  was  evidently  troubled  with  dreams,  and 
he  breathed  and  snorted  heavily,  each  sound  bringing 
the  robber  to  a  stop,  and  setting  him  shivering  with 
apprehension,  for  this  half-caste  was  a  coward  at  heart. 
But  at  length  he  found  himself  within  the  room. 

"Beneath  the  bed,"  he  said  to  himself.  'That's 
where  his  father  kept  the  gold,  and  no  doubt  the  young 
fool  does  the  same.  He'll  have  left  the  box  there,  and 
I  shall  be  able  to  get  it  and  slip  away  without  dis- 
covery." 

He  was  at  the  bed  by  now,  and  his  arms  were  grop- 
ing vainly  beneath  it.  An  oath  escaped  him  when  he 
discovered  that  the  box  was  gone,  and  he  sat  back  on. 
his  heels  trembling,  and  furious  with  disappoint- 
ment. 

"Perhaps  he  has  moved  it,"  he  said  at  length.  "He 
guessed  that  some  one  was  about,  else  why  did  he  go 
on  to  the  verandah  to  keep  watch,  and  why  the  gun  ? 
I'll  strike  a  match  and  take  a  look  round.  First  of  all, 
is  he  quiet?" 

He  stole  to  the  open  door  and  peered  at  the  re- 
cumbent figure,  now  half  illuminated  by  the  moon.  He 
could  see  the  head  lolling  forward,  the  hands  and  arms 
trailing  to  the  floor,  and  the  stock  of  the  rifle.  The 
legs  and  feet,  and  the  box  for  which  he  sought,  were 
still  in  the  shadow. 

"All's  well,"  he  thought.  "A  match  will  not  awake 
him,  and  there  is  no  one  about  to  see  the  light." 

There  was  a  faint,  rasping  sound,  and  the  glimmer 
of  a  flame  lit  the  room.  The  half-caste  searched  each 
corner  diligently  till  the  match  burned  to  his  fingers. 


A  Great  Misfortune  1 1 

Then  he  flung-  it  aside  witli  an  oath  and  rapitUy  struck 
another. 

"Then  he  must  ha\e  the  box  with  liim,"  he  exclaimed 
hoarsely,  while  the  frown  on  his  ugly  brows  increased 
as  he  realized  that  his  difficulties  were  suddenly  in- 
creased. "He's  asleep.  I'll  capture  the  prize  and  run 
to  the  nearest  shadow.     If  he  follows " 

His  fingers  felt  the  lock  of  the  revolver  while  he 
lifted  the  weapon  and  took  aim  at  the  moonlit  doorway. 

"I  could  hit  him  with  ease,  though  I  have  never  fired 
one  of  these  before."  he  said.  "Time's  going.  It 
must  be  done  at  once." 

Bracing  himself  with  the  thought,  the  miscreant  stole 
to  the  door,  and  then  along-  the  verandah  till  he  was 
close  to  Dick.  His  hand  went  out  to  search  for  the 
coveted  box,  and  then  drew  back  suddenly,  while  the 
blood  in  his  veins  froze  with  terror.  For  Dick  moved 
restlessly  and  spoke  in  his  sleep.  Had  he  discovered 
the  attempt?  Was  he  about  to  pounce  upon  the  in- 
truder? The  doubt  set  the  half-caste  shivering  till 
desperation  lent  him  strength,  and  he  levelled  the  re- 
volver. His  eyes  shone  strangely  in  the  moon's  rays 
as  they  fixed  themselves  on  the  unconscious  youth, 
while  the  finger  which  lay  on  the  trigger  stiffened, 
causing  the  hammer  to  rise  slowly  into  cocking  posi- 
tion. Another  movement  would  have  been  Dick's  last. 
But  the  dream  had  passed,  the  nightmare  which  had 
troubled  him  was  gone,  and  he  slept  easily. 

"I  thought  it  was  all  up,"  growled  the  robber  hoarse- 
ly, to  himself.     "He  startled  me.     There's  the  box." 

His  eye  had  suddenly  lit  upon  it,  and  lowering  his 
revolver  he  stretched  out  to  it,  caught  the  handle,  and 


I  2       With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

with  a  tug  dragged  it  from  beneath  Dick's  feet.  Then 
he  scrambled  from  his  knees,  and  was  in  the  act  of 
leaping  the  rail  of  the  verandah  when  the  sleeper  start- 
ed erect.  A  cry  escaped  him,  and  in  an  instant  he  was 
on  his  feet.  Then  with  a  shout  of  fury  he  threw  him- 
self upon  the  robber.  One  hand  gripped  the  ruffian's 
neck,  while  the  other  closed  about  his  arm.  For  a  sec- 
ond, perhaps,  he  retained  his  hold.  Then  a  quick 
movement  of  the  half-caste  threw  him  off,  his  hands 
slipping  from  the  well-oiled  surface.  There  was  a 
sharp  report,  and  the  flash  of  a  revolver  in  his  face. 
Then  he  was  left,  still  gripping  at  the  air,  while  James 
Langdon  sought  safety  in  flight,  his  dark  figure  flitting 
across  the  brilliant  moonlit  patch  to  the  nearest  shadow. 

"Stop !"  shouted  Dick,  now  thoroughly  awake.  "I 
know  who  it  is.  I  recognized  you  by  means  of  the 
flash.  It  is  James  Langdon,  the  man  who  has  robbed 
my  father  for  years.  Stop,  and  return  the  box  this 
instant.  I  promise  to  let  you  go  free  afterwards.  If 
you  refuse  I  will  shoot  you  down  as  you  run." 

He  stooped  swiftly  and  picked  up  his  weapon.  Then 
he  leapt  over  the  rail  and  ran  into  the  open. 

"Now,"  he  said,  as  he  faced  the  deep  shadow  in 
which  James  had  disappeared,  and  in  which  he  still 
lurked,  fearful  that  his  figure  would  be  seen  as  he 
crossed  to  the  next,  "come  out  and  return  the  box. 
I  give  you  half  a  minute.     After  that  I  fire." 

He  could  see  the  faint  outline  of  the  man,  while  the 
moving  leaves  told  of  his  probable  position.  Dick 
levelled  his  weapon,  and  waited  till  he  judged  the  half- 
minute  had  passed. 

"Once  more,"  he  called  out,  "are  you  coming?" 


A  Great  Misfortune  i  3 

There  was  no  answer,  only  the  leaves  shook  more 
violently.  Dick  took  careful  aim,  and  pulled  the  trig- 
ger, sending:  a  bullet  into  the  verv  centre  of  the  figure 
which  he  had  dimly  perceived.  But  he  had  a  cunnuig 
fox  to  deal  with,  and  forgot  that  he  himself  stood 
brilliantly  outlined  in  the  open.  James  Langdon  knew 
that  he  had  but  to  draw  his  fire  to  escape  to  the  forest, 
for  long  before  Dick  could  load  again  he  would  have 
p-ained  the  woods.  He  waited,  therefore,  till  our  hero's 
patience  was  exhausted.  Then  he  threw  hmiselt  tiat 
on  the  ground  till  the  shot  rang  out.  An  instant  later 
he  was  on  his  feet  racing  into  the  forest.  And  after 
him  went  his  pursuer,  hot  with  rage  and  anxiety. 
Dashino-  into  the  thick  bush  he  endeavoured  to  come  up 

T  T 

with  the  fugitive,  but  all  was  dense  darkness  here.  He 
struck  his  head  against  an  overhanging  bough,  and  a 
moment  later  caught  his  feet  in  a  twining  vine,  coming 
with  a  crash  to  the  ground.  He  was  up  in  a  moment, 
only  to  meet  with  the  same  fate  again,  while  the  half- 
caste,  better  versed  in  the  ways  of  the  forest,  crept 
steadily  along  on  all  fours,  feeling  his  way  through  the 
tangle.'  Dick  was  beaten,  and  in  his  rage  he  blazed 
right  and  left  into  the  forest ;  but  the  shots  did  no  harm 
to  the  fugitive,  while  hardly  had  their  reverljeration 
died  down  when  there  followed  the  mocking  calls  of  the 
half-caste. 

"Set  a  watch  and  keep  it.  Dick  Stapleton,"  he 
shouted,  "and  learn  to  be  wary  when  James  Lang- 
don is  about.  As  to  the  box.  have  no  fear  for 
its  safety.  I  promise  to  take  care  of  the  gold 
which  it  contains." 

He   gave  vent   to   a  boisterous   laugh,   a   laugh   of 


14      With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

triumph,  and  then  went  on  his  way,  leaving  Dick 
trembling  with  fury. 

''Listen  to  this,  you  ruffian,"  he  shouted  back.  "You 
are  a  knave,  and  have  robbed  me  as  you  did  my  father. 
Don't  think  to  escape.  Some  day  we  shall  meet  again, 
and  then  you  shall  answer  for  this  crime." 

A  jeering  laugh  was  his  only  answer,  and  dispirited, 
and  well-nigh  on  the  verge  of  tears,  he  retraced  his 
steps  to  the  house,  and  threw  himself  into  his  chair,  a 
prey  to  the  worst  misgivings,  wondering  what  he 
should  do  next,  how  he  was  to  live,  and  how  to  repair 
his  ruined  fortunes. 


CHAITRR  II 

A    Gallant    Rescue. 

Moderately  tall  and  broad,  with  well-tanned  skin  and 
pleasant  features.  Dick  Stapleton  looked  a  gentleman 
and  a  decent  fellow  as  he  lolled  on  an  old  lx)x  which 
lay  on  the  beach  at  Cape  Coast  Castle.  He  was  dressed 
in  white  ducks  from  head  to  foot,  while  a  big  solar 
topee  covered  his  head.  His  collar  was  thrown  wide 
open,  a  light  scarf  being  tied  loosely  round  the  neck, 
while  his  whole  appearance  gave  one  the  impression 
that  he  was  decidedly  at  ease.  And  yet  he  was  not 
happy.  A  week  had  passed  since  the  robbery,  and  in 
that  time  he  had  given  full  particulars  to  an  apathetic 
police  force.  He  had  offered  a  reward  for  the  recov- 
ery of  the  treasure,  and  he  had  wondered  how  and 
where  he  was  to  live. 

"There  are  the  two  houses,"  he  had  said  over  and 
over  again  to  himself.  "One  is  the  store,  and  has  per- 
haps fifty  pounds  worth  of  goods  in  it.  The  other,  the 
living-house,  is  of  greater  value.  But  they  are  useless 
to  me,  for  without  capital  I  cannot  run  the  store,  while 
without  means  I  cannot  live  in  the  house.  And  I 
haN-en't,  so  far,  been  able  to  come  across  a  tenant.  I've 
five  pounds  in  cash,  and  when  that  goes  I'm  penniless." 

He  began  to  throw  pebbles  aimlessly,  vaguely  won- 
dering what  he  could  do  to  lighten  his  difficulties. 

»5 


1 6       With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

"It  is  plain  that  there  is  no  work  for  me  here,"  he 
said  at  length.  "Practically  every  white  man  between 
this  and  Elmina  is  an  official  of  some  sort,  while  the 
natives  don't  connt.  Of  course  there  are  the  mer- 
chants and  the  storekeepers,  but  then  I  am  neither  the 
one  nor  the  other  now.  Father  even  never  made  much 
more  than  a  bare  living,  thanks,  perhaps,  to  that  robber. 
Ah,  if  I  had  had  the  means  to  organize  an  expedition 
I  would  have  followed  him ;  but  then  where  should  I 
have  obtained  an  escort?  These  Fantis,  fine  fellows 
though  they  look,  are  really  cowards,  so  I  am  told." 

He  watched  one  of  the  ebony  natives  lounging  in 
the  shade  some  little  distance  away,  and  noted  his  tall 
and  well-proportioned  figure.  Then  he  turned  to 
others,  who  sat  with  their  toes  dipping  in  the  water, 
and  their  knees  submerged  every  now  and  again  as  a 
big  wave  thundered  on  the  sand.  They  were  the 
kroomen,  who  were  accustomed  to  play  between  shore 
and  ship,  and  bring  off  passengers  and  baggage. 

"They  will  have  work  soon/'  thought  Dick,  as  his 
eye  lit  upon  a  steamer  approaching.  "But  they  know 
that  it  will  be  an  hour  yet  before  she  is  at  her  moorings 
of¥  the  coast.  She's  a  big  vessel.  One  of  the  regular 
callers." 

For  a  little  while  he  gazed  at  the  ship,  wondering 
who  were  aboard,  and  which  of  the  white  officials  who 
had  gone  away  on  leave  some  time  before,  fagged  and 
debilitated  by  the  trying  climate,  would  return,  and 
come  ashore  fresh  and  cheer\%  with  that  ruddy  complex- 
ion common  to  Europeans  and  to  natives  of  the  British 
Isles. 

"Lucky  beggars,"   he   thought.     "They   will    have 


A  Gallant  Rescue  17 

everything-  clear  before  them.  They  will  take  up  the 
old  work  as  it  they  had  merely  been  for  a  day's  shoot- 
ing up-country,  and  their  friends  whom  they  relieve 
will  take  their  bunks  and  sail  away.  It  would  be  a  fine 
thing  for  me  if  I  could  get  a  billet  under  the  Govern- 
ment." 

He  lay  there  for  a  long  time  reflecting,  and  as  he 
did  so  the  ship  came  rapidly  closer.     When  a  mile  from 
the  sandy  coast  she  dropped  her  anchor,   and  those 
ashore  could  easily  see  the  splash  as  it  entered  the 
water.     Then  she  lay  to.  with  her  broadside  facing  the 
land,  rolling  and  heaving  with  monotonous  regularity. 
Dick  watched  the  bustle  aboard  listlessly,  for  it  was 
no  unusual  sight  for  dwellers  on  the  Gold  Coast,  the 
\Miite  Man's  Grave.      Time  and  again  he  wondered 
whether  there  might  be  some  one  aboard  to  whom  he 
could  offer  the  store  and  the  house,  or  some  one  who 
would  befriend  him  and  perhaps  obtain  some  post  for 
him  which  would  enable  him  to  work  for  a  living.    For 
as  the  reader  will  have  learned,  Dick  was  in  difficulties. 
He  had  come  out  some  months  before  at  his  father's 
urgent  call,  and  had  barely  had  time  to  lo^k  into  the 
business   of   the   store   when   his    father   died.     Then 
came  the  theft  of  the  gold,  and  here  was  our  hero 
stranded  indeed,  with  little  experience,  and  with  very 
few  years  behind  him.     Xo  wonder  that  he  was  dis- 
mayed.    That  as  his  fingers  closed  on  the  five  golden 
sovereigns  in  his  pocket  his  mind  went  time  and  again 
to  the   future,   wondering  what  would  happen   when 
those   golden   coins   had   perforce  been  changed   into 
silver,  and  the  silver  had  dwindled  away. 

*Tf  it  had  been  in  London,"  he  said,  'T  should  have 


1 8       With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

soon  found  work  of  some  sort,  or  I  would  have  eagerly 
taken  the  Queen's  shilling  and  enlisted.  Here  there  is 
no  work,  at  least  not  for  a  white  man,  and  there  is  no 
supervising  or  overseeing  job  that  I  can  get.  Lastly, 
there  is  no  recruiting  station." 

He  had  but  stated  the  facts.  For  the  past  week  he 
had  been  the  round  of  the  town,  and  had  even  gone, 
cap  in  hand,  to  the  Governor. 

"We're  sorry  for  you,  Stapleton,"  the  latter's  secre- 
tary had  said,  as  he  shook  Dick's  hand,  "but  we  have 
nothing  to  offer.  We  can't  even  take  over  your  prop- 
erty, nor  promise  to  look  after  it  while  you  may  be 
away.  The  best  thing  for  you  to  do  w^ill  be  to  get 
back  to  the  Old  Country,  and  try  your  luck  there.  You 
think  of  enlisting,  do  you?  Well,  it's  a  fine  profes- 
sion, is  soldiering,  and  you  are  the  lad  to  do  well. 
Perhaps  you  might  even  find  your  way  out  here  again, 
for  let  me  tell  you  something.  That  rogue,  King 
Koffee,  is  stirring  his  Ashantee  tribesmen  up  for  war. 
He  is  itching  for  a  fight,  and  means  to  force  one.  So 
you  might  pay  us  a  visit.  By  the  way,  are  you  really 
in  earnest?" 

"About  the  army,  sir  ?''  asked  Dick. 

"Yes,  about  enlisting.  So  many  young  fellows 
threaten  to  take  the  step,  but  fail  for  want  of  pluck 
w^hen  the  critical  moment  comes.  You  see,  there  are 
not  so  many  gentlemen  rankers,  and  whatever  others 
say,  there's  no  doubt  that  the  life  is  a  rough  one,  and 
particularly  so  to  the  son  of  a  gentleman.  That's  bar- 
rack life,  of  course.  Out  on  active  service  it's  differ- 
ent, for  then  officers  and  men  live  practically  the  same 
life,  and  put  up  with  the  same  hardships." 


A  Gallant  Rescue  19 

"I  know  it's  not  all  a  feather  bed,  sir."  replied  Dick, 
respectfully.  "But  I'm  stranded.  I  can't  be  kicking 
my  heels  out  here  in  idleness,  and  I  see  few  prospects 
of  selling  the  store  and  the  property.  So  I  shall  take 
\\hat  I  can  get  for  the  goods  now  on  hand  and  get  a 
passage  to  England.  If  I  can  I  shall  work  my  way 
back,  for  it  would  be  as  well  to  learn  to  rough  it  from 
the  first." 

"And  perhaps  I  could  help  you."  was  the  answer. 
"Look  here,  Stapleton,  we're  sorry  for  you.  It  was 
very  hard  luck  losing  your  money  in  that  way,  and  if 
you  are  really  keen  on  returning  home  with  a  view  to 
entering  the  army,  I'll  get  you  a  post  aboard  a  steamer. 
A  word  from  the  Governor  would  influence  the  cap- 
tain, and  as  you  say,  it  is  better  to  rough  it  now,  and 
get  a  little  practice,  before  joining  the  ranks.  There, 
too,  I  can  do  something,  I  imagine.  Come  again  when 
you  have  thoroughly  made  up  your  mind,  and  I  will 
see  what  can  be  done." 

Dick  had  to  be  satisfied  with  that,  and  as  he  lay  there 
on  the  sand  he  had  firmly  come  to  a  decision,  and  re- 
solved to  ask  for  a  post  aboard  the  steamer  then  lying 
in  the  roads,  and  return  in  her  to  England. 

"But  first  I'll  see  whether  there  is  any  one  there 
who  wants  a  store  or  a  house,"  he  said.  "They'll  be 
coming  soon.  I  see  the  surf-boats  are  on  the  way,  and 
the  rope  gangway  has  been  lowered." 

He  watched  as  some  passengers  clambered  down  tlie 
gangway,  their  white  drill  clothing  showing  crisply 
against  the  dark  background  of  the  ship,  while  others, 
less  capable  of  the  somewhat  difficult  feat  of  descending 
a  swaying  ladder,  were  lowered  in  a  chair  slung  from 


2  0      With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

the  yard.  Then  his  eye  lazily  followed  as  the  kroo 
boys  thrust  their  long  paddles  into  the  sea,  and  shot 
the  big-  craft  from  the  vessel's  side.  A  second  took  its 
place  at  the  gangway,  and  another  load  of  passengers, 
all  in  gleaming  white  clothes  as  before,  descended  or 
were  slung  into  the  boat,  and  were  rowed  away.  After 
that  he  could  see  the  baggage  being  lowered  down  till 
other  boats,  which  had  now  gone  alongside,  were  well 
filled. 

"There's  Brown,  who  went  home  six  months  ago, 
just  before  I  came  out,"  said  Dick,  suddenly,  as  the 
first  boat  drew  near  the  outer  margin  of  the  surf.  'T 
remember  he  brought  a  message  to  me  from  father. 
How  well  he's  looking.  When  I  saw  him  last  he  was 
a  skeleton." 

He  rose  to  his  feet  and  strolled  down  to  the  edge 
of  the  sandy  beach,  where  he  waited  to  greet  his  friend. 
There  were  one  or  two  others  whom  he  recognized, 
and  they  waved  to  him.  But  for  a  little  while  passen- 
gers and  friends  ashore  were  completely  divided,  for  a 
wide  belt  of  raging  surf  stretched  between  them.  On 
the  outer  fringe  of  this  the  surf-boat  lay  to,  the  kroo 
boys  standing  along  the  sides  with  the  tips  of  their 
paddles  just  dipping  in  the  water.  They  made  no 
movement  save  every  now  and  again  when  a  big  swell- 
ing breaker  caused  them  to  roll,  and  threatened  to  carry 
the  boat  into  the  surf.  Then  there  was  a  word  from 
the  headman,  the  paddles  dipped  deeply,  and  the  boat 
swung  back  from  the  surf. 

"It  wants  doing  to-day,"  said  an  officer,  who  had 
now  taken  his  place  beside  Dick.  "There's  no  wind  to 
speak  of,  but  there's  quite  a  heavy  surf.    I  always  like 


A  Gallant  Rescue  2  i 

watching  those  kroo  boatmen.  Clever  beggars,  Sta- 
pleton,  and  full  of  pluck  when  engaged  in  a  job  of  this 
sort.     Ah.  they  are  off." 

A  shout  came  over  the  water,  and  at  once  all  the 
paddles  were  plunged  deep  into  the  sea.  The  boat, 
lielped  by  a  breaker,  sprang  forward  into  the  surf,  and 
then  being  caught  up  by  an  enormous  rolling  billow, 
she  shot  forward  on  its  crest,  being  lifted  many  feet 
into  the  air,  till,  in  fact,  those  aboard  her  seemed  to  l:>e 
far  above  those  on  the  beach.  But  in  a  moment  she 
dropped  down  again,  and  for  a  few  seconds  was  out  of 
sight. 

"Looks  as  though  the  following  wave  would  cover 
her,"  said  the  officer,  as  he  watched  keenly  for  another 
sight  of  the  boat.  "Those  beggars  are  paddling  as  if 
for  their  lives." 

At  that  instant  the  surf-boat  had  again  come  to  view, 
and  as  the  officer  had  remarked,  the  kroo  toys  were 
plying  their  paddles  with  tremendous  energy.  They 
looked  over  their  shoulders  with  some  apprehension, 
and  then  at  the  repeated  shouts  of  their  leader  they  dug 
tlieir  blades  into  the  boiling  surf  and  struggled  to  push 
the  craft  towards  the  shore.  But  in  spite  of  their  exer- 
tions the  surf-boat  seemed  to  be  receding.  She  ap- 
peared to  be  slowly  gliding  backward  down  the  far 
side  of  the  billow  which  had  just  passed,  falling,  in 
fact,  towards  the  gulf  which  lay  Ijetween  it  and  the 
monstrous  wave  which  followed. 
"They're  done,"  cried  the  officer. 
"They'll  manage  it,  I  think,"  said  Dick,  quietly. 
"But  it's  touch  and  go." 

And  that  it  prove^l  to  be.     The  men  aboard  shouted, 


22       With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

and  drove  their  paddles  with  fierce  energy,  while  the 
spray  licked  about  them,  and  the  following  wave 
seemed  to  surround  them.  The  passengers,  seeing  their 
danger,  behaved  like  sensible  beings.  They  sat  still 
and  clutched  their  seats,  while  they  looked  backward 
apprehensively.  Suddenly  the  boat  began  to  move  for- 
ward. The  efforts  of  the  paddlers  were  having  the 
desired  effect.  It  slowly  gathered  way,  though  the 
following  wave,  with  its  green  curling  crest  now  erect- 
ed high  above  the  craft,  seemed  to  be  about  to  fall  upon 
it  and  swamp  the  passengers.  Another  shout,  another 
fierce  struggle,  and  the  boat  shot  forward,  the  crest  of 
the  wave  doubled  up,  caved  in  at  that  point,  subsided 
into  the  seething  boil  about  it,  and  then  glided  under 
the  surf-boat,  lifting  it  swiftly  into  the  air.  How  it 
moved !  It  might  have  been  shot  from  a  gun.  And 
the  kroo  men  had  reversed  their  paddles.  They  were 
now  doing  their  utmost  to  restrain  the  boat,  to  keep 
her  from  being  dashed  on  the  shore.  It  was  a  mag- 
nificent struggle.  The  curling  wave,  a  huge  mass  of 
foam  and  w^ater,  burst  with  a  thunderous  boom  on  the 
sand,  and  breaking  into  a  million  cascades,  shot  its 
torrents  up  on  to  the  beach.  The  boat  fell  as  suddenly 
till  its  keel  was  close  to  the  sand,  when  it  leapt  forward 
again  and  finally  came  with  a  bump  to  the  ground.  At 
once  the  kroo  boys  leapt  over  the  side,  waist-deep  in 
the  receding  water.  They  were  almost  dragged  from 
their  feet,  but  they  clutched  the  boat,  and  putting  their 
united  strength  to  the  task,  ran  her  a  few  feet  higher 
up,  till,  when  the  water  subsided,  she  was  left  almost 
high  knd  dry. 

"Bravo !"  shouted  the  officer  and  Dick  together.     "It 


A  Gallant  Rescue  23 

was  a  narrow  squeak.  Ah.  how  are  you.  Preston?" 
went  on  the  former  as  he  recognized  a  friend,  while 
our  hero  turnetl  to  the  young  fellow  whom  he  had  last 
seen  in  England. 

Bv  now  a  numher  of  other  residents  had  arrived,  and 
there  was  an  animated  meeting,  the  passengers  leaping 
out  and  shaking  hands.  Amid  all  the  excitement,  the 
hand-gripi)ing.  the  questions  as  to  friends  at  home, 
and  as  to  matters  on  the  Gold  Coast,  no  one  took  notice 
of  the  following  l)oats  save  Dick,  who  had  greeted  his 
friend  an^l  left  him  to  pass  on  to  others.  He  watched, 
therefore,  as  the  second  craft  approached,  and  stared  at 
the  occupants  as  the  stout  vessel  lay  off  the  breakers 
waiting  lor  the  propitious  moment  to  arrive  when  it 
would  be  wise  to  push  forward. 

There  were  five  passengers  in  all,  three  of  them 
officers  returning  to  duty,  and  two  others,  of  whom 
one  seemed  to  be  a  man  of  some  fifty  years  of  age.  thin 
and  almost  cadaverous,  while  the  last  by  all  appear- 
ances v.-as  a  very  stout,  short  man,  who  found  the  heat 
trying,  for  he  fanned  his  face  with  an  enormous  topee, 
then  mopped  his  brows  with  an  exceedingly  red  ban- 
dana handkerchief,  and  finally,  with  a  start  of  surprise, 
stood  up  and  stared  back  at  the  oncoming  waves  with 
every  appearance  of  dismay.  Dick  heard  him  shout, 
and  a  moment  later  the  tall,  thin  man  had  swept  him  to 
his  seat  again  with  an  adroit  movement  of  the  arm. 

"A  stranger,  evidently."  thought  Dick.  "He  has 
never  been  in  the  surf  before.  The  other  man  knows 
the  ropes  well,  while  the  officers  T  recognize  as  old 
residents.  Ah,  they've  started.  The  little  fat  beggar 
doesn't  like  it." 


24      With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

The  stout  man  evidently  felt  some  tremors,  for  he 
clutched  at  the  side,  pushing  his  head  in  between  two 
of  the  kroo  men,  till  his  companion,  seeing  that  he  was 
in  the  way,  dragged  him  back  and  spoke  sharply  to 
him.  After  that  he  remained  as  if  rooted  to  his  seat, 
staring  at  the  wave  which  followed,  and  shuddering 
as  the  boat  was  lifted  to  the  summit  of  a  crest,  and 
again  as  she  as  quickly  slid  back  into  the  abyss  behind. 
A  shriek  escaped  him  as  the  craft  slowly  receded,  while 
the  harder  the  paddles  worked  and  their  leader  shouted, 
the  more  did  the  terror  of  the  unaccustomed  situation 
seem  to  fill  this  little  stranger.  A  moment  later  a  shout 
from  Dick  and  a  chorus  of  yells  attracted  the  attention 
of  those  ashore.  They  turned  to  find  the  boat  gone. 
She  had  been  completely  engulfed  by  the  following 
wave,  and  for  a  minute  nothing  but  seething  water 
could  be  seen.  Then  a  black  arm  shot  up,  and  later 
the  whole  of  the  kroo  rowers  bobbed  to  the  surface  like 
corks,  and  knowing  what  was  wanted,  merely  struggled 
to  keep  their  heads  above  the  surface  wdiile  the  water 
swept  them  ashore.  Then  the  three  officers  appeared, 
and  rapidly  followed  the  example  set  them, 

"Two  are  missing,"  shouted  Dick,  ''the  fat  little  man 
and  the  thin  one." 

"Then  one  at  least  has  gone  for  good,"  replied  one 
of  the  passengers  who  had  just  come  ashore.  "The 
Dutchman  couldn't  swim  if  you  paid  him.  The  other 
could,  no  doubt.  Hullo!  What's  happening.  Staple- 
ton  ?" 

"I'm  going  in,"  said  Dick,  quietly,  as  he  tore  at  his 
coat  and  kicked  his  shoes  off.  "Look;  there's  one,  and 
he's  helpless !" 


A  Gallant  Rescue  25 


He  had  no  time  for  more,  but  coolly  nodding  to  the 
group,  ran  into  the  water,  and  as  a  wave  crashed  into 
seething  fofim  at  his  feet  he  dived  into  the  mass  and 
disappeared.  A  minute  later  he  was  in  the  trough  be- 
y(^nd.  and  the  wave  which  followed  merely  lifted  him 
high  in  the  air.  There  was  a  warning  shout  from  the 
shcire.  and  a  dozen  fingers  pointed  to  his  right.  But 
Did  did  not  see  them.  Nor  did  he  even  hear,  for  the 
roar  of  the  surf  was  so  great.  But  he  happened  to 
catch  sight  of  an  arm,  which  was  instantly  submerged, 

"That  is  one,"  he  said  to  himself.  'Til  get  him  if 
1  dive." 

Dick  had  learned  to  be  wary,  and  knew  that  it  is  as 
dangerous  to  approach  a  drowning  man  from  behind 
as  from  the  front  when  he  is  still  full  of  vigour.  He 
dived,  struck  out  beneath  the  water,  touched  some- 
thing, and  struggled  to  the  surface,  clutching  the  tail 
of  a  coat.  He  pulled  at  it,  and  slowly  the  fat  face  of 
the  stout  little  passenger  appeared,  and  close  to  his 
that  of  the  thin  man.  the  one  with  cadaverous  cheeks. 
Then  a  pair  of  amis  came  into  sight,  and  Dick  gathered 
that  the  stout  stranger  had  gripped  at  the  nearest  per- 
son and  had  dragged  him  down  with  him.  making 
escape  impobsible.  making  it  even  out  of  the  question 
for  the  taller  man  to  struggle  for  existence. 

"Better  get  them  ashore  like  this,"  he  thought,  with 
wonderful  coolness  considering  the  danger.  "There's 
a  wave  coming.  I'll  copy  the  kroo  boys  and  wait  for 
it.  Then  I'll  try  to  get  all  three  of  us  flung  on  the 
Ixjach." 

He  took  a  firm  hold  of  the  collar  of  the  stout  man, 
who  was  apparently  unconscious,   for  his  eyes  were 


2  6      With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

tightly  closed,  though  his  arms  still  retained  their  grip. 
But  the  hold  which  Dick  had  obtained  enabled  him  to 
keep  the  fat  stranger's  lips  just  clear  of  the  water, 
while  it  also  raised  the  other  man's  face.  Then  Dick 
lifted  his  free  arm  for  a  second.  Those  ashore  saw  the 
movement  and  shouted,  while  three  or  four  of  them 
ran  down  into  the  sea.  A  wave  was  coming.  Dick 
could  see  it  in  spite  of  the  blowing  spray  which  whisked 
across  the  water.  He  took  a  deep  breath  and  gripped 
the  coat  with  both  hands.  The  curling  crest  of  a  green 
wave  shut  out  the  horizon.  There  was  a  crash  in  his 
ears.  The  torrent  caught  him  and  almost  tore  his 
grip  from  the  collar.  Then  he  felt  that  he  was  moving. 
He  and  the  weight  to  which  he  clung  shot  towards  the 
shore,  a  foot  or  more  of  water  covering  them.  Then 
there  was  a  second  crash,  loud  shouts  from  those  on 
the  beach,  and  afterwards — 

"Hullo!  Does  it  hurt?  Broke  just  above  the  elbow 
and  we  had  such  a  job.  No.  Lie  down,  sir!  You 
are  not  to  move.  Lie  down,  I  say !  You  are  safe  out 
of  the  water." 

Dick  collapsed  flat  on  his  back  and  stared  indignant- 
ly at  the  individual  who  had  dared  to  give  the  order. 
He  was  a  trim,  dapper  Englishman,  with  a  small  beard, 
and  as  he  returned  our  hero's  gaze  he  showed  every 
sign  of  being  a  man  who  meant  what  he  said,  and 
would  have  no  nonsense.  He  was  minus  his  coat,  and 
his  sleeves  w^ere  rolled  to  the  shoulder. 

"That's  an  order,"  he  laughed.  "Remember  that, 
youngster.     An  order.     See  that  you  obey  it." 

He  shook  his  fist,  laughed  merrily,  and  proceeded  to 
unroll  his  sleeves  and  don  his  coat. 


A  Gallant  Rescue  27 

They  were  in  a  large,  airy  room,  and  when  Dick 
turned  his  head,  he  could  catch,  through  the  widely 
opened  windows,  a  view  of  the  sea,  of  the  ship  which 
had  just  reached  the  roads,  and  a  small  section  of -the 
sandy  beach.  Xo  one  was  stirring.  The  sun  was 
right  overhead,  and  the  shadows  short  and  barely  per- 
ceptible. The  atmosphere  quivered  with  the  heat. 
Even  the  birds  and  the  insects  seemed  to  have  suc- 
cumbed. An  unnatural  quiet  reigned  over  that  portion 
of  the  Gold  Coast,  and  only  the  surf  thundered  and 
roared.  But  that  was  partly  imagination.  Dick 
could  not  shake  off  the  impression  that  he  was 
even  then  swallowed  in  that  huge  mass  of  water, 
and  that  he  could  still  hear,  was  deafened,  indeed, 
by  the  crash  of  the  billows.  He  looked  again 
down  at  the  sands.  A  solitary  Fanti  boy  lan- 
guidly sauntered  across  the  view.  There  was  a 
boat  drawn  up  clear  of  the  breakers,  and  another  lay 
off  the  ship,  a  mile  from  the  shore.  Was  it  all  a  dream, 
then  ? 

"I  say,"  he  suddenly  remarked,  and  he  felt  surprised 
that  his  voice  should  sound  so  low  and  weak.  "Er,  I 
say,  if  you  please,  where  am  I,  and  what  has  been  hap- 
pening?" 

"Happening?"  exclaimed  his  companion,  with  ele- 
vated eyebrows.  "Oh,  nothing  at  all.  You  acted  like 
a  madman,  they  tell  me.  You  dived  into  the  surf,  and, 
as  a  result,  the  surf  threw  you  back  as  if  it  objected  to 
you.  It  threw  you  hard,  too,  and  wet  sand  is  heavy 
stuff  to  fall  on.  You've  a  broken  arm,  and  may  thank 
your  stars  that  that  is  all.  It  ought,  by  rights,  to  have 
been  a  broken  neck  and  hardly  a  whole  bone  in  your 


2  8       With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

body.     Where  are  you?     Why,  at  the  Governor's,  of 
course.     In  clover,  my  boy." 

The  jovial  individual  laughed  as  he  spoke,  and  came 
close  to  the  bed. 

"You've  been  an  ass,"  he  said  bluntly,  and  with  a 
laugh.  "Seriously,  my  lad,  you've  done  a  fine  thing. 
You  went  into  the  surf  and  brought  out  those  two 
drowning  men.  It  was  a  fine  thing  tO'  do,  but  risky. 
My  word,  I  think  so  !" 

He  took  Dick's  hand  and  squeezed  it,  while  the 
bantering  smile  left  his  lips. 

"A  nigger  is  at  home  sometimes  in  the  surf,"  he 
explained ;  "but  when  you  know  the  coast  as  I  do,  you 
will  realize  that  to  get  into  those  breakers  means  death 
to  most  white  men.  You  want  to  he  a  fish  in  the  first 
place,  and  you  need  to  be  made  of  cast  iron  in  the 
second.  I'm  not  joking.  I've  seen  many  a  surf-boat 
splintered  into  bits  as  she  bumped  on  the  beach.  Men 
are  thrown  ashore  in  the  same  way,  and  they  get 
broken.  Your  arm  is  fractured,  and  a  nice  little  busi- 
ness it  has  been  to  get  it  put  up  properly.  The  Dutch- 
man is  still  unconscious,  and  I  fancy  he  swallowed  a 
deal  of  salt  water.  Mr.  Pepson,  the  other  individual 
whom  you  saved,  is  quite  recovered.  He's  one  of  those 
fellows  who  is  as  hard  as  nails.  But  there,  that'll  do. 
I'm  talking  too  much.  Lie  down  quietly  and  try  to 
sleep  like  a  good  fellow." 

So  it  was  real  after  all.  He  had  not  dreamed  it. 
He  had  gone  into  the  surf,  and  the  Dutchman  was 
saved. 

"And  who's  this  Mr.  Pepson?"  thought  Dick.  "And 
this  fellow  here  must  be  the  doctor.     One  of  the  army 


A  Gallant  Rescue  29 

surgeons,  I  suppose,  i-ancy  being  at  the  bovernor's 
house.  Phew  !  That  ought  to  get  me  the  billet  aboard 
the  ship."  Suddenly  he  recollected  that  his  fractured 
a,rm  would  make  hard  work  out  of  the  question  for  a 
time,  and  he  groaned  at  the  thought. 

"Pain?"  asked  the  surgeon.  "Xo?  Then  worry? 
What's  wrong?" 

Dick  told  him  in  a  few  words. 

"Then  don't  bother  your  head,"  was  the  answer. 
"The  Governor  is  not  likely  to  turn  you  out  while  you 
are  helpless,  and  the  time  to  be  worrying  will  be  when 
you  are  well.  You've  friends  now,  lad.  You  were 
no  one  before — that  is,  you  were  one  amongst  many. 
Now  you  have  brought  your  name  into  prominence. 
We  don't  have  men  fished  out  of  the  surf  every  day  of 
the  year." 

He  spoke  the  truth,  too,  and  Dick  soon  realized  that 
liis  gallant  action  had  brought  him  much  honour  and 
many  friends.  The  Governor  came  that  very  after- 
noon to  congratulate  him,  while  the  members  of  the 
household,  the  ladies  of  the  Governor's  party,  fussed 
about  their  guest.  Oflicers  called  to  see  the  plucky 
youngster,  while,  such  is  the  reward  of  popularity,  two 
of  the  traders  on  the  coast  made  ofifers  for  Dick's 
houses  and  the  good-will  of  the  stores.  It  was  amaz- 
ing, and  if  our  hero's  head  had  hummed  before  with  the 
memory  of  his  buffeting  in  the  surf,  it  hummed  still 
louder  now.  He  was  in  a  glow.  The  clothes  on  his 
bed  seemed  like  lead.  The  place  stifled  him.  He 
longed  to  be  able  to  get  out.  to  shake  off  the  excite- 
ment. 

"An  attack  of  fever."  said  the  surgeon  that  even- 


30      With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

ing,  as  he  came  to  the  room  and  found  Dick  wandering 
shghtly.  "The  shock,  hard  times  for  the  last  few 
weeks,  and  thoughtless  exposure  to  the  sun,  are  prob- 
able causes.  That's  what  many  of  the  youngsters  do. 
They  think  that  because  an  older  hand  can  at  a  pinch 
work  during  the  heat  of  the  day  and  in  the  sun,  they 
can  do  the  same.  They  can't.  They  haven't  the 
stamina  of  older  men.  Here's  an  example.  He'll  be 
in  bed  for  another  week." 

And  in  bed  Dick  was  for  more  than  that  time.  At 
last,  when  the  fever  had  left  him,  he  was  allowed  to 
get  into  a  chair,  where  for  a  few  days  he  remained  till 
his  strength  was  partially  restored.  Another  week 
and  he  emerged  into  the  open.  And  here  at  length  he 
made  the  acquaintance  of  the  men  he  had  rescued  from 
the  surf. 


CHAPTER  III 
A   Mining   Expedition 

Dick  could  have  shouted  with  merriment  as  the  two 
strang^ers  whom  he  liad  rescued  after  their  upset  in  the 
surf  came  up  the  steep  steps  of  Government  House  to 
g"reet  hiiu.  and  still  more  was  his  merriment  roused  as 
the  stout  little  man  came  forward  to  shake  him  by  the 
hand.  For  this  rotund  and  j(illy-looking  individual 
was  dressed  in  immaculate  white,  with  an  enonnously 
broad  red  cummerbund  about  his  middle,  making  his 
^■ast  girth  even  more  noticeable.  His  round,  clean- 
shaven face  beamed  with  friendly  purpose,  while  there 
was  about  him  the  air  of  a  leader.  He  struggled  to 
appear  dignified.  He  held  his  head  high,  and  showed 
no  sign  of  feeling  abashed,  or  ashamed  at  the  memory 
of  his  conduct  aboard  the  boat. 

"Ah,  ah!"  he  gasped,  for  the  climb  had  taken  his 
breath  away.  "Bud  id  is  hod  for  walking,  Meinheer 
Dick,  and  zese  steps  zey  are  sdeep.  I  greed  you  brave 
I-'.nglishman  as  one  brave  man  would  anozer.  I  render 
zanks  fr)r  your  aid.  I  am  proud  to  shake  ze  hand  of 
mine  comrade  who  came  into  ze  wild  sea  to  give  me  ze 
help." 

3> 


3  2       With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

"Goodness!"  thought  Dick,  "he  speaks  as  if  he  had 
actually  been  attempting  to  save  his  friend,  and  had 
not  really  been  the  means  of  almost  drowning  him." 

He  glanced  furtively  at  the  second  stranger,  as  the 
fat  man  grasped  his  hand  and  pumped  it  up  and  down, 
while  at  the  same  time  he  vainly  endeavoured  to  mop 
his  streaming  forehead.  But  Dick  could  read  nothing 
in  the  face  of  Mr.  Pepson.  Perhaps  the  keen  sunken 
eyes  twinkled  ever  so  little.  Perhaps  that  twitch  of 
the  thin  lips  was  a  smile  suppressed.  Beyond  that  there 
was  nothing.  Mr.  Pepson  gazed  at  his  rescuer  with 
evident  interest,  and  seemed  barely  to  notice  the  pres- 
ence of  his  companion.  At  length,  however,  he  moved 
forward  a  step  and  addressed  himself  quietly  to  Dick. 

"Let  me  introduce  our  friend,"  he  said,  with  a  quaint 
little  bow,  removing  his  topee  as  he  did  so.  "This  is 
Meinheer  Van  Somering,  of  Elmina." 

"Dutch  by  birdh  and  a  Dutchman  to  ze  backbone, 
Meinheer,"  exclaimed  the  stout  man,  as  he  released 
Dick's  hand.  "I  am  one  of  ze  residents  of  Elmina, 
which  was  in  ze  hands  of  mine  coundry  till  ladely, 
you  undersdand.  Id  is  a  spod  to  visid.  Ah !  zere  you 
will  find  comford.     But  I  have  nod  zanked  you." 

"Indeed  you  have,  ^^ou  have  said  enough.  I  did 
nothing  to  speak  of,"  exclaimed  Dick,  hastily.  "How 
are  you?     None  the  worse  for  your  adventure?" 

"None,  we  thank  you,"  answered  Mr.  Pepson,  in- 
terrupting the  voluble  Dutchman  as  he  was  in  the  act 
of  launching  forth  into  a  speech.  "We  grieve  to  hear 
how  badly  you  have  fared,  and  we  hope  that  you  are 
now  on  the  mend.  You  do  not  like  thanks.  I  see 
that  plainly.     Then  I  will  say  very  little.     I  owe  you 


A  Mining  Expedition  33 

my  life.  ]\ir.  Stapletoii,  and  1  and  all  consider  your 
action  to  have  been  an  extremely  plucky  one.  Now, 
may  we  sit  down?  It  is  hot,  as  2^Ieinheer  says.  And 
these  steps  are  steep." 

"Sdeep!  Mein  word!  In  Elmina  zere  are  none 
like  dese.  Here,  in  Cape  Coast  Castle,  ev^ryzing  is 
sdeep.  You  climb  or  you  run  downhill.  Zere  is  no 
level.     Id  is  derrible!" 

The  fat  little  Dutchman  threw  his  hands  into  the 
air  with  a  comical  expression  of  disgust,  and  then  flung 
himself  back  into  a  basket  chair,  causing  it  to  creak  and 
groan  and  bend  to  one  side,  till  Dick  thought  it  would 
certainly  collapse. 

Mr.  Pepson  smiled.  "Our  friend  does  not  think 
greatly  of  this  English  possession  of  ours,"  he 
said,  "and  there  I  agree  with  him,  for  Elmina 
is  by  contrast  a  charming  spot.  You  have  been 
there.  Mr..  Stapleton — Dick  I  think  they  all  call 
you  ?" 

"Xo.  I  have  never  been  to  Elmina,"  Dick  was  bound 
to  admit. 

"Ah,  well,  it  lies  some  sixteen  miles  to  the  west,  as 
you  will  know,  and  the  Dutch  held  it  for  many  years — 
in  fact,  till  recently,  when  England  bought  the  place. 
It  is  beautiful  in  many  ways.  There  is  little  fever. 
The  spot  is  drained  and  the  bush  cut  back  into  wide 
clearings." 

"Ah.  yes,  Meinheer,  and  led  me  add,  zere  is  a  har- 
l>our.     Look  zere!" 

The  little  Divtchman  danced  to  his  feet  and  tiptoed 
to  the  edge  of  the  steep  steps  by  which  he  had  so  re- 
cently ascended.    Then  he  pointed  a  condemning  finger 


34      With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

at  the  white  sandy  beach,  and  at  the  thundering  surf 
which  crashed  upon  it. 

"See  id!  Ze  cruel  waves,  which  so  nearly  robbed 
me  of  a  dear,  dear  friend,  for  whose  life  I  struggled 
till  Meinheer  Dick  plunged  do  ze  rescue.  Zere  is  none 
of  zat  at  Elmina,  We  Dutchmen  made  a  harbour  years 
ago.  You  can  land  at  Elmina  as  you  mighd  in  Hol- 
land. There  is  nod  even  a — ah,  whad  do  you  call  him 
— ah,  I  have  him,  yes,  a  ribble,  zere  is  nod  even  zat, 
Meinheer." 

The  comical  little  fellow  threv^  out  his  chest,  as  if 
that  were  necessary  considering  its  huge  dimensions, 
and  patted  it  gracefully,  while  he  looked  round  upon  his 
listeners  in  turn  as  if  seeking  for  some  words  of  praise 
and  commendation. 

"It  is  true  enough,"  admitted  Mr.  Pepson,  and  again 
Dick  thought  he  detected  a  half-suppressed  smile. 
"The  country  to  which  our  friend  belongs  sent  excel- 
lent colonists  to  Elmina.  They  have  a  harbour,  and 
why  we  have  not  one  here  passes  belief.  But  there. 
Why  let  us  compare  the  two  places  and  their  govern- 
ments? It  is  sufficient  to  say  that  Elmina  has  ad- 
vanced as  the  years  have  passed,  while  this  possession, 
which  has  been  in  our  hands  for  more  than  two  hun- 
dred years,  has  receded  if  anything.  A  cargo  of  cement 
and  two  months'  work  would  have  made  a  harbour. 
An  engineer  with  limited  skill  and  knowledge  could 
have  erected  a  breakwater  which  would  have  enabled 
small  boats  to  lie  snug  and  secure,  while  there  would 
have  been  no  need  for  surf-boats.  As  to  the  bush. 
They  call  this  'The  white  man's  grave.'  And  so  it  is. 
But  the  health  of  the  town  could  be  vastly  improved 


A  Mining  Expedition  35 

if  proper  efforts  were  made.    The  bush  could  be  cleared 
and  the  place  drained." 

He  paused  and  looked  out  to  sea,  while  Dick,  as  he 
watched  the  surf  and  thought  over  what  had  been  said, 
could  not  help  feeling  that  had  the  measures  just  men- 
tioned been  carried  out,  his  father  might  still  be  living, 
and  many  another  Englishman  with  him.  Indeed, 
there  is  little  doubt  that  at  the  time  and  until  this  period 
Cape  Coast  Castle  and  its  neighbourhood  had  been 
sadly  neglected.  Xo  English  colony  had  advanced 
less,  and  none  was  so  unhealthy,  though  a  little  effort 
would  easily  have  improved  matters. 

"You  are  lately  from  home?"  asked  "Sir.  Pepson, 
suddenly,  turning  to  Dick. 

"Four  months  ago.  I  came  to  help  my  father,  who 
had  had  a  store  here  for  many  years.  He  died  a  week 
before  you  landed." 

"Before  you  aided  us  in  our  efforts  to  reach  the 
land,  I  think,"  was  the  smiling  rejoinder.  "I  knew 
your  father  slightly,  and  I  sympathize  with  you  in 
your  loss.     Do  you  propose  to  remain  in  these  parts?" 

The  question  was  asked  so  quietly  that  Dick  could 
not  imagine  that  Mr.  Pepson  had  the  smallest  interest 
in  the  answer.  And  yet,  had  he  watched  this  stranger, 
he  would  have  seen  a  keen  glance  of  the  eye,  a  move- 
ment of  the  hand  which  denoted  eagerness. 

"I  shall  sail  for  England  as  soon  as  my  arm  is  strong 
enough.  I  have  been  pronn'sed  help  in  getting  a  place 
aboard  one  of  the  ships.  I  shall  work  my  way  home, 
and  then  seek  for  employment.  I  have  been  rather 
unlucky." 

"You  were  robbed,   we  hear.     But  you  still   have 


36 


With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

some  property  left,  and  perhaps  you  might  find  work 
here.     What  would  you  say  to  a  trip  up-country  ?" 

Mr.  Pepson  leaned  back  and  surveyed  our  hero.  He 
drew  a  cigar  from  his  pocket,  bit  the  end  off,  and  ap- 
plied a  match.  And  all  the  while  his  eyes  were  on 
the  young  fellow  who  had  saved  his  life.  As  for 
Meinheer  Van  Somering,  his  cheeks  were  puffed  out 
with  suppressed  excitement.  He  leaned  forward  till 
his  chair  looked  as  if  it  would  capsize,  and  he  devoured 
the  figure  seated  before  him  \\ith  eyes  which  were 
almost  hidden  behind  the  wreathes  of  fat  which  clothed 
his  cheeks. 

"Mind,"  said  Mr.  Pepson,  calmly,  "a  trip  such  as  I 
suggest  would  not  be  a  holiday.  There  are  dangers 
other  than  connected  with  fever.  There  are  natives. 
Have  you  heard  of  King  Koffee's  hosts  of  warriors?" 

Dick  had  heard  a  great  deal,  and  acknowledged  the 
fact. 

"Every  one  seems  to  think  that  there  will  be  trouble 
with  them,  before  very  long,"  he  said.  "The  Fantis, 
the  people  on  this  side  of  the  Pra,  go  in  terror  of  their 
lives.  Yes,  I  know  that  there  is  danger  up-country, 
but  then,  Mr.  Pepson,  it  is  not  so  great  as  to  keep  an 
Englishman  away." 

"Nor  one  of  my  gread  coundry,  Meinheer !" 

"Quite  right !  Quite  so.  Van  Somering.  Now  lis- 
ten, Mr.  Dick.  We — that  is,  Meinheer  and  myself — - 
are  about  to  march  into  the  interior,  to  a  spot  some 
miles  north  and  east  of  the  Pra.  We  are  bent  on  gold- 
mining,  and  we  have  bought  a  concession  from  this 
King  Koffee.  Meinheer  has  had  his  agents  there  for 
the  past  six  months — a  Dutchman  and  natives — and 


A  Mining  Expedition  37 

there  are  shafts  sunk,  a  stockade  erected,  and  gokl  is 
heing  obtained.  Now  1  have  come  into  the  venture. 
The  agent  is  about  to  retire,  and  we  desire  to  see  our 
concession,  and  to  place  an  agent  in  charge  who  can  be 
rehed  upon.  The  post  is  a  dangerous  one.  It  is  also 
one  of  responsibility,  for  many  ounces  of  gold  pass 
through  the  hands  of  the  man  who  is  in  charge.  We 
have  been  seeking  for  a  successor,  and  we  believe  we 
have  found  him.  You  are  the  young  man  upon  whom 
our  choice  has  fallen." 

Dick  could  have  fallen  from  his  chair,  so  great  was 
his  astonishment. 

"But — but — I  am  only  eighteen,"  he  stammered. 
"And  I  don't  know  anything  about  mining." 

"We  want  a  reliable  and  straightforward  man,"  said 
Mr.  Pepson.  quietly,  "and  we  believe  you  to  be  that. 
Your  age  does  not  come  into  the  question.  In  England 
you  might  be  just  leaving  for  college,  or  have  held  a 
commission  in  the  service  for  a  year.  You  would 
hardly  be  deemed  fitted  for  a  post  of  great  responsi- 
bility. Out  here  it  is  different.  You  have  pluck  and 
tenacity.  Every  one  in  the  place  says  that.  You  speak 
a  little  of  the  Eanti  language,  and  you  have  some 
knowledge  of  the  country  and  the  natives.  As  to  the 
mining,  no  knowledge  is  required.  The  natives  sink 
the  shafts  and  get  the  gold.  You  take  charge  of  it, 
and,  at  stated  periods,  send  it  down  to  the  coast.  Your 
greatest  task  will  be  to  see  that  all  is  secure.  To  make 
sure  that  the  Ashantees  are  friendly,  and  in  the  event 
of  probable  trouble,  to  secrete  the  gold  and  beat  a  re- 
treat. In  other  words,  we  want  a  sensible  individual, 
with  some  command  over  the  natives,  and  with  enough 


38       With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

pluck  to  enable  him  to  live  almost  alone  in  the 
forests." 

The  offer  was  a  tempting  one.  Dick  saw  employ- 
ment before  him,  and  a  life  which  he  judged  would 
suit  him  well.  Then,  too,  longer  residence  in  the  coun- 
try would  enable  him  to  safeguard  his  interests  on  the 
coast,  and  perhaps  to  sell  or  let  the  property  which  was 
all  that  he  possessed. 

"As  to  the  pay,"  said  Mr.  Pepson,  "that  will  be  lib- 
eral, far  better,  indeed,  than  an  official  of  your  years 
obtains  in  these  parts.  We  have  a  valuable  concession, 
and  we  can  afford  to  pay  the  right  man.  Then,  too, 
there  is  a  question  of  the  store.  You  have  one,  we 
learn.  We  are  prepared  to  enter  into  an  agreement  to 
take  a  share  of  it  from  you,  or  we  will  take  all,  paying 
for  the  house  and  the  goodwill  of  the  business.  In  ad- 
dition, since  we  shall  want  a  residence,  we  are  pre- 
pared to  rent  or  buy  the  residence  in  which  your  father 
lived." 

Could  he  believe  his  ears  ?  Could  it  be  that  he  was 
listening  to  a  proposition  which  would  relieve  him  of 
all  his  difficulties?  Dick  felt  stunned.  The  roar  of 
the  surf,  which  had  troubled  him  ever  since  his  ad- 
venture, threatened  to  deafen  him.  He  felt  dizzy,  and 
sat  back  in  his  chair,  grasping  the  arms  for  support. 
Meanwhile,  Mr.  Pepson  watched  him  calmly,  Mein- 
heer  Van  Somering  beaming  upon  him  as  though  he 
alone  were  the  author  of  all  these  suggestions,  and  as 
if  Dick  were  indebted  to  him  only. 

'T  can  see  a  brave  man  wid  half  one  eye,"  he  gasped, 
as  he  fanned  his  hot  cheeks.  "Meinheer  is  brave.  He 
will  fighd  for  us.     He  is  ze  man  we  look  for." 


A  Mining  Expedition  39 

"Then  I  accept."  exclaimed  Dick,  eagerly.  "I  feel 
that  I  am  too  young  for  the  task,  or  rather,  that  I 
should  be  at  home  in  England.  Out  here  it  is  differ- 
ent. I  can  speak  a  little  of  the  language,  and.  if  it  is 
any  advantage.  I  can  shoot  straight.  I  will  go  to  this 
concession,  and  will  do  my  best  in  your  interests.  As 
to  the  property,  your  suggestions  take  my  breath 
away." 

"While  we  are  only  too  glad  to  have  the  opportu- 
nity of  thus  helping  a  friend.  Now,  IMr.  Dick,  we 
shall  leave  you.  It  is  hot.  and  you  are  tired.  I  will 
call  to-morrow,  and  will  then  make  a  definite  offer  for 
the  business,  or  a  share  of  it.  Meanwhile  I  will  send 
some  one  to  you  who  can  give  you  independent  advice 
as  to  its  value.  For  business  is  business,  my  lad,  and 
it  is  necessary  that  your  interests  should  be  protected. 
Now,  Meinheer,  we  will  go.  It  is  downhill  to  the 
hotel,  and  therefore  easy  walking." 

He  rose  as  Dick  sprang  to  his  feet,  and  shook  our 
hero  warmly  by  the  hand.  Meinheer  Van  Somering 
repeated  the  process,  and  having  backed  to  the  edge  of 
the  stairs,  swept  his  topee  from  his  head  and  treated 
Dick  to  an  elaborate  bow.  "We  shall  meed  again. 
Meinheer  Dick,"  he  called  out.  "Till  zen  a  Dutchman 
is  proud  do  call  himself  your  gread  friend.  Mein 
word!  bud  id  has  been  a  pleasure  to  meed  you." 

He  swept  his  topee  on  to  his  head  again,  mopped 
the  perspiration  from  his  face,  and  descended  slowly, 
leaving  Dick  with  his  head  in  a  whirl,  and  feeling  half 
inclined  to  laugh  at  the  memory  of  this  Dutchman's 
comical  figure,  his  absurd  attempts  to  be  dignified,  and 
his  vast  stock  of  self-assurance;  and  more  than  half 


40      With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

disposed  to  shed  tears  of  joy  and  relief  at  the  words 
of  Mr.  Pepson,  at  the  offer  which  had  been  made  to 
him,  and  at  the  prospect  for  the  future.  Then  he  sat 
down  and  did  what  many  another  youngster  has  done, 
who  has  been  hurt  and  has  been  sick  for  a  time.  He 
fainted  from  sheer  weakness  and  inabihty  to  withstand 
so  much  excitement. 

"And  that  is  all  the  thanks  I  get  for  allowing  them 
to  come,"  exclaimed  the  trim-bearded  doctor,  as  he 
glared  at  Dick  some  minutes  later.  "It's  all  the  work 
of  that  fat  little  Dutchman,  of  that  I'm  sure.  He'd 
talk  till  any  one  was  weary.  Well,  he  shall  not  come 
again.  You  are  to  be  a  prisoner  here,  my  boy,  till  you 
show  signs  that  you  are  really  mending.  Fainted ! 
Just  fancy!" 

He  went  off  with  a  sniff  and  a  smile,  leaving  Dick 
quite  well  again,  but  ready  now  to  inflict  the  direst 
punishment  upon  himself  for  displaying  such  weak- 
ness. 

"I  could  kick  myself!"  he  exclaimed  in  disgust. 
"Here  am  I,  in  clover,  as  the  doctor  says,  but  till  half 
an  hour  ago  with  starvation  before  me.  I  was  on  my 
beam  ends,  and  did  not  know  where  to  look  for  work 
or  help.  And  here  I  am,  with  a  post  assured,  and 
every  prospect  of  earning  a  decent  living.  And  the 
news  upsets  me.  I'm  a  donkey !  A  fine  thing  if  Mr. 
Pepson  had  seen  me.  A  nice  thing  for  him  to  know 
that  his  future  manager  might  faint  like  a  girl  at  the 
first  critical  moment.  Pah!  I  wish  some  one  would 
kick  me!" 

There  was  no  one  at  hand  to  comply  with  his  invita- 
tion, and  presently  the  memory  of  his  weakness  wore 


A  Mining  Expedition  41 

oflf  and  Dick  fell  asleep.  A  few  days  later  he  was  far 
stronger,  and  when  three  weeks  had  passed  he  was  him- 
self again,  his  arm  was  out  of  the  splints,  and  carried 
in  a  sling,  while,  when  the  doctor  or  Mr.  Pepson  were 
not  about,  he  amused  himself  with  using  the  hand  and 
fingers. 

"As  well  get  accustomed  to  working  the  limb,"  he 
said  to  himself,  with  a  smile.  "I  am  sure  that  the 
expedition  is  dallying  here  till  I  am  well,  for  that  is 
just  like  Mr.  Pepson.  He  is  really  grateful,  and  his 
•liberality  is  wonderful.  I  must  get  this  arm  out  of 
the  sling  as  soon  as  possible." 

Another  week,  in  fact,  brought  the  consent  of  the 
doctor,  whereupon  active  preparations  for  the  trip  up- 
country  were  commenced.  Meanwhile  our  hero  had 
learned  more  of  his  new  friends.  Mr.  Pepson,  he 
found,  was  a  wealthy  trader  from  Sierra  Leone,  while 
Meinheer  \^an  Somering  was,  as  he  had  proudly  stated, 
a  native  of  Elmina.  Born  and  bred  there,  he  spoke 
the  native  tongue  like  his  own.  and  knew  the  Gold 
Coast  intimately.  It  was  he  who  had  learned  of  the 
goldfield  on  the  Pra,  and  unable  to  purchase  the  con- 
cession himself,  he  had  sent  the  information  to  Mr. 
Pepson.  Dick  learned  to  like  the  Dutchman  immense- 
ly, to  laugh  at  his  comical  appearance,  his  efforts 
towards  dignity,  his  mighty  ways  with  the  natives,  and 
his  good  temper.  ?Ie  was  vastly  amused  at  Mein- 
heer's  other  side,  at  his  obvious  nervousness,  and  at  his 
boastful  ways  and  words. 

"He  is  a  good  friend,  and  an  amusing  companion," 
said  Mr.  Pepson  one  day,  "and  if  he  has  his  little 
faults  we  must  not  complain.     Tlie  truth  is  that  he  is 


42       With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

no  fighter,  Dick.  When  that  is  said,  we  have  said 
SLifficient.  If  we  meet  with  trouble  we  may  rely  upon 
his  seeking  for  and  finding  a  secure  retreat.  We  will 
not  count  on  his  help  to  protect  the  expedition.  After 
all,  it  is  only  fair  that  the  work  should  be  divided.  I 
shall  command,  and  you  will  aid  me.  Meinheer  is 
chief  interpreter  till  you  have  made  more  acquaintance 
with  the  natives,  and  he  will  advise  us  about  the  mines 
and  their  working.  Now  let  us  go  into  the  question  of 
the  expedition.     You  know  the  site  of  the  mines?" 

Dick  had  heard  that  it  was  somewhere  on  the  river 
Pra,  and  said  so. 

"It  is  exactly  ninety-four  miles  from  here,"  said  Mr, 
Pepson,  "and  is  surrounded  by  dense  bush.  To  get  to 
it  we  ascend  the  river  Pra  till  we  reach  a  point  on  a 
level  with  the  mines.  Then  we  strike  into  the  jungle. 
We  shall  take  with  us  a  few  sets  of  hand  winding  gear, 
for  at  present  the  natives  lower  themselves  into  the 
shafts  by  their  own  efforts.  The  gear  we  have  brought 
is  simple,  but  it  will  answer  well  and  save  labour. 
Then  we  are  taking  guns  and  ammunition,  rockets, 
grenades,  and  a  small  brass  cannon.  In  addition  there 
will  be  picks  and  spades,  and  iron  boxes,  in  which  the 
gold  will  be  packed.  As  to  conveyances,  there  is  a 
large  launch  for  our  own  use,  and  she  will  tow  a  couple 
of  narrow  native  craft,  and  more  if  necessary.  Once 
we  have  settled  there,  she  will  return  with  us,  and  will 
make  periodical  trips  from  the  mines  as  soon  as  you 
have  taken  charge.  She  will  be  close  to  your  hand, 
and  if  you  meet  with  trouble  you  will  know  that  there 
is  a  means  of  flight,  and  a  way  by  which  you  can  reach 
the  coast.     Now  let  us  see  to  our  personal  outfit,  for 


A  Mining  Expedition  43 

remember,  we  may  he  montlis  away,  and  we  are  going 
into  parts  which  try  the  best  of  clothing." 

They  took  their  way  into  the  town,  for  they  had 
been  chatting  on  the  beach,  where  many  of  the  stores 
for  their  expedition  had  been  accumulated.  Then  they 
went  by  the  road  which  led  to  the  house  which  Dick's 
father  had  erected,  and  which  had  now  passed  into  the 
keeping  of  the  two  partners.  There  they  found  a  na- 
tive tailor,  with  his  wares  already  spread  out  on  the 
verandah. 

"He  is  a  humble  and  patient  individual,"  said  Mr. 
Pepson,  with  a  smile,  "and  he  will  have  carried  out 
my  orders  to  the  letter.  These  natives  cannot  always 
cut  garments,  and  for  bush  work,  as  for  any  other,  it 
is  essential  that  one's  clothes  should  fit  easily  and  well, 
for  otherwise  in  this  hot  climate  they  are  apt  to  chafe. 
That  being  the  case,  I  have  for  years  made  it  a  prac- 
tice to  get  a  stock  of  clothes  when  in  England,  and 
then  allow^  a  nati\e  to  copy.  You  understand,  he  picks 
a  suit  to  pieces,  and  makes  use  of  the  bits  as  patterns. 
He  has  a  couple  of  suits  here  for  us  both.  Yours  is  a 
copy  of  one  which  we  found  in  your  room.  Come 
along.     Give  it  a  trial." 

This  slender,  cadaverous-looking  Englishman  from 
Sierra  Leone  seemed  to  be  able  to  think  of  everything. 
Time  and  again  Dick  had  cause  to  wonder  at  his 
thoughtfulness.  his  care  for  others,  and  particularly  for 
our  hero ;  and  long  ago  he  had  ceased  to  do  more  than 
murmur  his  thanks,  for  Mr.  Pepson  would  arrest  him 
at  once  with  a  warning  finger  and  a  friendly  smile. 

"What !"  he  would  exclaim,  "am  I  not  to  be  allowed 
to  do  something  for  the  comfort  of  one  w'ho  saved  my 


44      With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

life,  and  that,  too,  of  our  stout  friend,  Meinheer  Van 
Somering?  The  world  is  indeed  an  ungrateful  place 
if  one  is  to  receive  such  an  act  with  only  passing  thanks, 
to  reward  it  with  a  nod  and  a  few  polite  words,  and 
then  in  the  rush  which  surrounds  us  to  forget  the  deed 
and  the  one  who  gallantly  performed  it.  Surely  there 
is  as  much  pleasure  in  remembering  a  brave  act  and  a 
good  friend  as  in  anything.  I  hold  that  a  gentleman 
never  forgets  his  debts  of  gratitude,  for  they  are  in- 
deed debts  of  honour,  which  can  never  be  settled  too 
completely." 

And  Dick  would  become  silent,  though  now  and 
again  he  would  lamely  protest  that  he  had  done  nothing 
at  all. 

"That  is  your  modesty,  Dick,"  would  be  the  answer. 
"I  may  say  the  same.  I  have  done  nothing  more  than 
any  business  man  would  do.  You  are  to  be  my  agent. 
I  have  a  big  stake  in  these  mines,  and  I  wish  all  to  go 
well.  Consequently,  to  avoid  future  loss,  I  equip  my 
agent  with  the  best  and  see  to  his  welfare." 

There  was  no  arguing  with  such  a  man.  He  would 
smile  that  dry  smile  of  his  and  would  turn  away.  But 
Dick  did  not  forget.  If  Mr.  Pepson  was  grateful,  so 
also  was  he,  for  he  was  indeed  in  clover.  He  saw 
w^ork  before  him,  hard  work,  too;  for  he  had  been 
given  to  understand  that  the  post  of  agent  would  be  no 
sinecure.  Then  he  was  now  a  partner  with  Mr.  Pep- 
son and  the  Dutchman  in  the  store  which  his  father 
had  had  for  so  many  years.  It  had  reopened  already 
with  a  flourish.  A  manager  had  been  appointed,  and 
there  were  prospects  of  reviving  the  business,  so  that 
Dick  might  look  forward  to  an  income.     Then  he  had 


A  Mining  Expedition  45 

been  credited  with  a  good  sum,  which  Mr.  Pepson  had 
insisted  was  the  vakie  of  the  partnership,  while  a 
further  sum  was  to  be  paid  every  year  in  the  way  of 
rent  for  the  residence.  And  now,  as  if  that  were  not 
enough,  here  was  a  complete  outfit.  Dick  donned  the 
clothes  which  the  native  had  prepared,  and  stepped  into 
the  centre  of  the  verandah  for  Mr.  Pepson's  approval. 

''You  will  do  well,"  said  the  latter,  when  he  had  sur- 
veyed him  critically.  "The  stuff  is  some  which  I  im- 
ported specially.  It  is  a  dark  cloth,  as  you  observe, 
and.  while  being  thin  and  light,  it  is  strong,  and  to  a 
certain  extent  waterproof.  It  will  stand  the  thorns  in 
the  jungle,  and  better  perhaps,  should  we  meet  with 
trouble,  you  will  find  that  it  does  not  make  the  wearer 
conspicuous.  There  is  a  green  shade  in  it,  and  that 
will  be  difficult  to  detect  against  the  foliage.  Now  the 
hat.  That  will  do.  too.  It  is  made  of  the  same  ma- 
terial, and  is  just  the  thing  for  the  jungle.  A  topee 
would  be  in  the  way,  and  besides,  the  sun  does  not 
penetrate  very  much,  and,  indeed,  is  often  not  to  be 
seen.  You  will  carry  a  topee  in  your  kit  for  open 
spaces." 

Three  days  later  all  was  in  readiness,  and  Dick 
found  himself  dressed  in  preparation  for  an  early  start. 
As  he  looked  in  his  glass  that  morning,  an  hour  before 
the  sun  rose  above  the  steaming  jungle  and  bush,  he 
saw  there  a  young  fellow  of  medium  height,  dressed 
in  a  loose-fitting  knickerbocker  suit,  with  wide-awake 
hat  to  match.  A  leather  belt  was  alx)ut  his  waist,  and 
slung  to  it  was  a  revolver,  while  on  the  other  hip  he 
carried  a  short  sword,  with  a  keen  cutting  edge  on  one 
side,  the  reverse  being  fashioned  like  a  saw,  for  they 


46       With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

would  have  dense  jungle  to  pass  through,  and  such  an 
implement  was  necessary.  Beneath  the  loose  coat  he 
wore  a  light  flannel  shirt  and  turn-down  collar,  open 
at  the  neck.  A  pair  of  gaiters  covered  his  calves,  while 
his  feet  were  clad  in  strong  shooting  boots.  Alto- 
gether he  looked  a  likely  young  fellow,  and  his  smooth 
features  and  firm  chin,  disclosing  a  creditable  amount 
of  determination  and  obvious  courage  for  one  so  young, 
set  off  his  general  appearance  and  led  one  to  believe 
that  the  mining  partners  had  not  made  such  a  bad 
choice  after  all. 

"It's  we  who  have  made  the  mistake,"  said  the  Gov- 
ernor that  morning  to  his  secretary,  as  he  bade  fare- 
well to  the  expedition.  "We  knew  the  lad  was  in  diffi- 
culties and  wanted  a  job,  but  we  thought  him  too 
young.  We  let  him  kick  his  heels  till  he  was  miserable. 
We  looked  on  while  he  was  robbed  and  ruined,  and 
we  should  have  helped  him  to  slip  from  the  country 
had  it  not  been  for  that  plucky  dash  of  his.  I  tell  you, 
there  are  bad  times  coming.  I  could  have  found  him 
useful  as  a  police  officer.  We  want  a  likely  fellow, 
who  can  speak  this  Fanti  tongue,  to  keep  an  eye  open 
for  the  doings  of  the  Elmina  natives.  This  fellow 
would  have  done  well.  But  there!  we've  lost  him. 
It's  always  the  way  with  those  in  authority.  We  hesi- 
tate. We  know  that  our  choice  must  be  sanctioned 
by  some  man  in  office  away  at  home,  a  man,  mind 
you,  who  has  never  seen  the  object  of  our  choice. 
That's  red  tape.  It  kills  initiative.  It  has  lost  us  a 
good  fellow,  and  these  men,  Pepson  and  the  Dutchman, 
have  been  too  smart  for  us.  They  have  jumped  at 
him,  and  they've  a  real  good  fellow." 


A  Mining  Expedition  47 

There  was  quite  a  commotion  in  Cape  Coast  Castle 
that  morning-.  Many  turned  out  to  see  the  last  of 
the  expedition,  and  there  was  a  cheer  as  tlie  party  em- 
barked on  a  surf-boat,  and  put  out  to  the  steam  launch 
lying  just  off  the  beach. 

"Good  luck !  and  watch  the  Ashantees,"  shouted  one 
of  the  Government  officials. 

"Bring  back  plenty  of  gold."  called  out  another. 
"Good-bye  and  good  luck !" 

The  words  of  encouragement  and  a  last  cheer  came 
to  them  as  they  boarded  the  launch.  There  was  a 
sharp  order  from  J^Ir.  Pepson,  then  the  engines  re- 
volved, the  propeller  thrashed  the  water,  and  they  were 
off,  Dick  and  his  friend  watching  the  receding  figures 
on  the  shore,  while  the  sprightly  Van  Somering 
climbed  to  the  highest  point  of  the  narrow  deck  and 
there  held  himself  with  head  erect  so  that  all  might 
view  him  and  admire. 

"A  great  swell  he  is,  too,"  laughed  Mr.  Pepson,  as 
he  and  Dick  turned  from  the  shore.  "His  appearance 
alone  should  mean  our  security  from  attack." 

And  our  hero  was  fain  to  agree.  For  the  fat  little 
Dutchman  had  exceeded  any  former  attempt.  True, 
he  was  dressed  in  the  same  loose  clothing,  made  of  the 
selfsame  material  as  worn  by  his  comrades.  But  his 
vanity  had  added  embellishments  to  it.  His  shirt  was 
red,  a  red  which  dazzled  the  eye,  while  the  belt  which 
surrrounded  his  ample  waist  was  some  five  inches  in 
^vielth — strong  enough,  in  fact,  to  bear  the  weight  of 
two  such  Dutchmen,  while  it  carried  in  front  an  enor- 
mous revolver  and  a  dagger  of  like  proportions,  all  of 
which  made  it  appear  as  if  Meinheer  Van  Somering 


48       With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

were  a  man  of  pugnacious  disposition,  and  therefore  to 
be  avoided. 

An  hour  later,  a  little  while  after  the  sun  had  risen 
over  the  jungle,  the  launch  glided  into  the  river  at 
Elmina,  and  came  to  rest  close  to  the  mole. 

"We  will  see  first  of  all  that  our  stores  are  here," 
said  Mr.  Pepson,  as  he  leaped  ashore.  "Then  we  will 
move  on  without  delay.  Come  with  me,  Dick,  and  go 
over  the  list  of  our  possessions." 

Everything  had  been  sent  on  some  few  days  before 
from  the  neighbourhood  of  Cape  Coast  Castle,  where 
they  had  been  landed  from  the  steamer,  and  thanks  to 
the  careful  foresight  of  Mr.  Pepson,  Dick  found  that 
three  dugouts,  of  large  proportions,  lay  close  to  the 
mole,  roped  firmly  together,  and  in  these  were  disposed 
the  belongings  of  the  expedition.  In  the  bows  of  one 
was  the  brass  gun,  while  there  were  sniders  in  all  three 
and  an  ample  supply  of  ammunition.  In  addition,  half 
a  dozen  Fanti  warriors  sat  on  the  thwarts  waiting  for 
the  forward  move. 

"Hook  on  the  launch,"  said  Mr.  Pepson.  "Now,  all 
aboard.     Send  her  ahead,  Johnnie." 

Johnnie  was  the  native  boy  who  had  been  trained  to 
man  the  engines  of  the  launch,  and  he  rejoiced  in  the 
name  given.  At  the  word  he  opened  the  steam  throt- 
tle till  the  merest  jet  was  fed  to  the  cylinders,  and 
gently  drew  ahead  of  the  boats,  slowly  stretching  out 
the  hawser  connecting  them  till  it  was  taut.  Then 
again  there  was  a  commotion  at  the  end  of  the  launch. 
The  water  was  thrashed  into  foam,  the  ropes  creaked 
and  stretched,  and  finally  the  launch  was  under  way, 
the  three  boats  following  gaily  in  the  wake  of  the 


A   Mining   Expedition  49 

plucky  steamer.  Mr.  I'epson  was  at  the  wheel,  and 
promptly  put  his  helm  over  till  they  were  heading  for 
the  very  centre  of  the  river. 

"All  clear  here,"  he  said,  with  a  smile.  "Now  we 
make  out  for  the  sea,  for  this  is  not  the  river  Pra.  It 
lies  a  few  miles  to  the  west.  Once  there  we  shall  not 
always  have  a  wide,  open  stretch  to  steer  through,  par- 
ticularly when  we  have  ascended  a  few  miles.  Then, 
indeed,  the  fun  will  commence,  for  there  are  sure  to  be 
sandbanks  and  shallows,  while  I  believe  that  crocodiles 
abound.  In  any  case  the  river  will  narrow,  and  before 
very  long  the  trees  will  come  closer  together  and  will 
shelter  us  from  the  sun.  Send  her  full  steam  ahead, 
Johnnie." 

By  now  they  were  feeling  the  swell  at  the  mouth  of 
the  harbour  of  Elmina,  and  for  some  minutes  all  clung 
to  the  sides,  for  the  light  craft  were  tossed  by  the 
enormous  surf  running  outside.  \\'hen  that  was  safely 
passed  the  steam  launch  turned  to  the  west,  and  they 
went  off  along  the  coast,  just  as  they  had  done  that 
morning,  watching  the  white  sandy  beach  as  they  swept 
past  it,  the  interminable  forests  beyond,  and  the  blue 
haze  hanging  over  the  hills  and  mountains  in  the  dis- 
tance. Two  hours  later  they  reached  the  mouth  of  the 
river,  and  having  approached  it  carefully,  for  mud 
banks  lay  off  it  in  many  directions,  they  shot  into  an 
open  channel,  and  soon  found  themselves  ascending  the 
Pra,  a  broad  river,  there  known  as  the  Bustum. 

"Higher  up  it  is  called  the  Pra,"  explained  Mr.  Pep- 
son,  "until  it  bifurcates.  The  branch  flowing  from 
the  east  is  then  called  the  Prahsu.  while  the  one  from 
the  west  is  known  as  the  river  Offwin.     \\'e  do  not 


50       With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

ascend  either  of  these.  Our  route  takes  us  by  a  narrow 
tributary  flowing  into  the  Pra,  and  by  that  means  we 
reach  our  destination.     Now  we  can  go  full  ahead." 

Once  more  the  throttle  was  opened  to  its  full  extent, 
and  with  the  three  boats  in  tow  the  launch  steamed  up 
into  the  heart  of  the  country,  with  every  prospect  of 
covering  many  miles  ere  the  darkness  came  and  caused 
her  to  come  to  a  stop. 


CHAPTER  IV 
A    Chase   and   a    Fight 

"In  a  little  while  the  sun  will  be  down,"  said  Mr.  Pep- 
son,  as  he  sprawled  on  the  deck  of  the  steam  launch 
that  evening.  "Then  it  will  be  dark  in  half  an  hour 
or  less,  and  we  shall  have  to  think  of  setting  a  watch. 
Meinheer  will  take  the  first  one.  From  seven  to  nine, 
Meinheer.  Dick  will  follow  from  that  hour  till  mid- 
night, and  I  shall  take  the  watch  from  the  first  moment 
of  the  new  day  till  the  light  comes.  That  will  be 
about  three  o'clock.     Now  let  us  get  our  supper." 

All  day  they  had  been  steaming  without  adventure 
and  without  interrui)tion  up  the  broad  sweep  of  the 
river  Pra,  seeing  nothing  to  alarm  them,  and  meeting 
with  no  difficulties.  So  far  they  had  had  plenty  of 
water  beneath  their  keels,  and  an  ample  space  through 
which  to  steer.  But  there  were  signs  that  the  river 
was  narrowing,  while  all  felt  as  if  the  forest  was  hem- 
ming them  in. 

"Zis  is  noding  do  whad  we  shall  have  soon."  the 
Dutchman  said,  with  a  wave  of  his  arm.  "Zis  forest 
— I  have  l^en  for  some  miles  into  him  before,  mine 
friends — sdredches  for  a  long,  long  way.     Id  is  tick, 

51 


52       With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

too.  See  how  ze  drees  shood  up  close  togeder.  And 
watch  below.  Ze  creepers  are  everywhere.  Id  would 
dake  a  day  do  cud  a  new  road  a  mile  long-.  Yes.  Id 
is  dense.  Bud  we  shall  have  no  drouble.  Ze  river 
dakes  us  do  ze  mine." 

"Por  which  I  am  only  too  thankful,"  added  Mr. 
Pepson.  "Our  journey  should  occupy  but  three  days, 
or  at  the  most  four.  If  we  had  to  march  through  the 
forest  we  should  have  to  take  an  army  of  Fanti  labour- 
ers to  cut  a  road.     And  then  think  of  the  fever." 

"And  of  the  machinery,  too,"  exclaimed  Dick. 

"Yes,  that  is  another  point,"  agreed  Mr.  Pepson. 
"This  country  has  been  noted  for  its  gold  for  many 
years.  The  Ashantis  have  carried  on  a  trade  since 
they  became  a  nation,  and  there  is  no  doubt  that  there 
are  vast  natural  stores.  You  may  ask,  why  have  others 
not  attempted  to  open  mines  before  this?  They  have 
done  so.  The  beach  at  Elmina  and  at  Cape  Coast 
Castle  is  strewn  with  rusting  machinery,  which  has 
been  landed  with  a  purpose,  and  then  left  to  rot  a.nd 
rust  simply  because  of  the  difficulty  of  transport,  and 
because  of  this  forest.  Luckily  for  us  our  mine  is 
near  the  river.  But  here's  supper.  Sit  down,  Van 
Somering." 

It  was  delightful  to  be  out  there  in  the  open,  even 
though  the  air  hummed  with  myriads  of  mosquitoes. 
The  launch  and  her  three  consorts  lay  moored  out  in 
the  stream  some  hundred  yards  or  less  from  the  left 
bank  of  the  river.  About  them,  but  for  the  buzz  of  the 
insects  and  the  ripple  of  the  water,  all  was  still  and 
silent.  Not  a  beast  seemed  to  be  stirring,  while  even 
aboard  the  boats  all  had  settled  down  to  rest.     Johnnie, 


A  Chase  and  a  Fight  ^^ 

the  stoker  and  driver,  sat  in  the  engine-well  wiping  his 
black  hands  after  an  inspection  of  the  machinery,  while 
the  Fanti  crew  lay  curled  up  in  the  L)ottoni  of  the  boats, 
two  in  each  one.  content  with  the  world,  waiting  (juiet- 
ly  for  their  evening  meal.  And  now  it  was  ready. 
With  a  broad  grin  Johnnie  announced  that  the  water 
boiled,  w  hile  Dick,  who  had  been  superintending  a  dish 
of  bacon  which  he  had  placed  at  the  furnace  door,  sang 
out  that  it  was  done  to  a  turn. 

"Then  I  will  make  the  coffee,"  cried  'Sir.  Pepson. 
"Meinheer.  see  that  the  cloth  is  laid ;  and,  Dick,  steady 
with  the  bacon.     We  will  start  fair  together." 

The  cloth  consisted  of  a  sheet  of  newspaper,  a  very 
ancient  London  daily,  which  the  Dutchman  spread 
out  on  the  deck.  Plates  were  of  enamelled  iron — the 
class  of  ware  to  stand  half  a  dozen  campaigns — while 
mugs  were  of  the  same  hardy  material,  and  were  apt 
to  be  used  for  soup  or  coffee,  water  or  good  wine,  just 
as  circumstances  dictated.  It  was  all  very  jolly.  This 
al  fresco  picnic  delighted  Dick,  and  he  set-to  at  the 
meal  with  gusto,  apologizing  for  his  appetite. 

"Id  is  goot!  Id  will  make  you  grow  sdoud,  mine 
friend,"  grunted  Meinheer,  in  the  midst  of  consuming 
a  rasher.  "Id  will  make  you  grow  so  big  zad  ze  na- 
tives will  zink  you  a  gread  man.  See  how  zey  dread 
me,  Meinheer  \'an  Somering!" 

He  ]o<jked  down  at  his  ample  proportions  with  evi- 
dent satisfaction,  and  then  completed  his  attack  upon 
the  rasher. 

"Do-nigh(l  all  will  be  quied,  mine  friends,  he  went 
on.  'T  shall  lie  on  guard,  and  zese  natives  will  not 
come.     Perhaps  lader  zey  will  ask  who  we  arc.     I  will 


54      With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

speak  wiz  zem.  There  will  be  no  difficulty.  Anozer 
rasher,  jNIeinheer  Dick." 

They  ate  till  they  were  satisfied,  for  there  was  no 
reason  to  be  careful  with  the  rations,  as  they  had  an 
ample  supply.  The  repast  was  ended  with  a  second 
cup  of  steaming  coffee,  when  the  burly  Dutchman  pro- 
duced a  pipe  of  dimensions  as  ample  as  his  own,  and 
with  a  bowl  which  took  quite  a  quantity  of  tobacco  to 
fill  it.  Mr.  Pepson  lighted  up  a  cigar,  while  Dick 
produced  a  briar  pipe.  Then  for  some  minutes  there 
was  silence  between  them,  while  the  darkness  deepened, 
and  the  cigar  and  the  pipes  shone  redder  and  redder. 

At  length  it  was  dark,  so  dark  on  the  surface  of  the 
river  that  nothing  was  visible,  and  Dick  could  hardly 
see  the  figures  of  his  comrades.  But  that  was  only  for 
a  little  while.  Soon  a  big  pale,  African  moon  got  up, 
and,  riding  clear  of  the  jungle,  flooded  the  course  of 
the  river,  the  left  bank  near  which  the  boats  lay,  and 
the  tree-tops  and  jungle  along  that  side.  On  the  far 
bank  all  was  densely  dark,  and  no  eye  could  penetrate 
the  deep  shadow  which  cloaked  the  dark  and  forbidding 
forest  which  stretched  unbroken  beside  the  Pra. 

"Bed !"  called  out  Mr.  Pepson.  indulging  in  a  yawn. 
"Meinheer,  yours  is  the  first  watch.  Wake  Dick  at 
nine.     Good-night." 

"Good  nighd,  mine  friends.  Sleeb  well,  for  I  shall 
protect  you." 

The  Dutchman  went  aft  to  the  tiny  cabin,  and 
fetched  his  rifle  and  a  bag  of  cartridges.  Then  he 
seated  himself  upon  the  roof  of  the  saloon,  the  rifle 
across  his  knees,  and  his  pipe  held  firmly  between  his 
teeth. 


A  Chase  and  a  Fight  55 

Dick,  too,  was  tired.  It  had  been  a  long  and  inter- 
esting day,  and  he  had  watched  the  passing  banks  of 
the  river  till  his  eyes  ached.  Now  he  felt  drowsy. 
He  got  up  from  the  deck,  stretched  his  arms  and 
yawned,  and  then  went  off  to  the  bows.  A  minute 
later  he  was  wrapped  in  his  blanket,  which  covered 
him  from  head  to  foot,  his  head  was  on  a  bag  contain- 
ing clothing,  while  his  legs  were  stretched  along  the 
deck.  Half  an  hour  later  he  was  asleep ;  all  atoard, 
in  fact,  had  turned  in  for  their  rest,  save  the  solitary 
Dutchman,  who  still  nursed  his  rifle,  and  puffed  vol- 
umes of  smoke  from  his  lips  without  ceasing. 

No  wonder  that  Dick  was  charmed  with  this  trip 
up-country.  It  appealed  with  all  its  force  to  a  young 
fellow  of  his  age.  He  revelled  in  the  strangeness  of 
the  scenery,  the  dense,  awe-inspiring  forests,  and  all 
the  teeming  life  hidden  in  their  midst,  and  the  silent, 
slow-flowing  river.  That  evening,  too.  he  had  thought 
how  beautiful  it  all  was,  and  how  peaceful.  He  had 
admired  the  cold  rays  of  the  moon,  the  sleepy  boats 
lying  beneath  it,  and  the  dark  figures  stretched  out 
beneath  the  thwarts.  He  had  listened,  too,  for  a  time 
to  the  music  of  the  bush,  which  came  now  more  loudly 
to  his  ear.  There  was  the  chatter  of  a  regiment  of 
monkeys,  the  call  of  night  birds  innumerable,  and  the 
droning  hum  of  the  insects.  Ever  and  anon  there  came 
a  deeper  sound,  as  if  from  some  beast  wandering  in 
search  of  its  meal,  while  once,  as  he  awoke  and  rose  on 
his  elbow,  he  caught  sight  of  a  graceful  four-footed 
animal — a  gazelle — tripping  gently  into  the  river  to 
drink.  After  that  he  stretched  out  again,  and,  lulled 
by  the  droning  sounds,  slept  deeply. 


56      With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

"What  was  that?  Ah!  that  beast  again!"  he  sud- 
denly said  in  a  whisper,  as,  some  two  hours  later,  he 
wakened  with  a  start,  only  to  close  his  eyes  again,  for 
he  realized  at  once  that  the  shriek  he  had  heard  was 
one  which  had  often  disturbed  him  at  Cape  Coast  Cas- 
tle— one  which  proceeded  from  the  throat  of  a  harmless 
forest  animal. 

"Hoot!    Hoot!    Hoot!" 

"An  owl  now,"  thought  our  hero,  dreamily.  "There 
it  goes  again,  and  quite  close,  too.     Bother  the  bird!" 

"Hoot!     Hoot!" 

This  time  Dick  sat  up  on  his  elbow,  and  looked  about 
him  vainly  for  the  bird.  "Hoot!  Hoot!"  It  came 
from  his  right,  and  he  slowly  turned  his  head  in  that 
direction.  Then  he  did  a  curious  thing.  He  lay  flat 
of  a  sudden,  and  rubbed  the  sleep  from  his  eyes  vigor- 
ously. 

"That's  rummy!"  he  murmured  beneath  his  breath. 
One  of  the  boats  has  disappeared,  and  the  others  are 
moving  away,  and — what  does  it  all  mean?" 

He  rolled  on  to  his  back,  lifted  his  head  cautiously, 
and  stared  at  the  roof  of  the  cabin.  There  was  the 
figure  of  the  Dutchman — immovable,  looking  fantas- 
tically huge,  and  sprawled  out  at  full  length.  There 
was  no  pipe  now  to  be  seen,  no  smoke  issued  from  his 
lips,  while  the  rifle  reposed  beside  him.  Then  came  a 
deep,  muffled  snore.  Meinheer  Van  Somering  was 
asleep. 

"Then  there  is  some  one  near  us,"  said  Dick,  swiftly. 
"Some  one  is  stealing  the  boats.  I  must  act  with 
caution." 

He  had  Iwd   experience  of  a  midnight  marauder 


A  Chase  and  a  Fight  57 

before,  and  he  determined  on  this  occasion  not  to  be  so 
easily  beaten.  He  rose  to  his  knees,  and  crawled  along 
the  deck  till  he  reached  the  Dutchman.  A  moment 
later  he  had  the  rifle  in  his  hands,  and  had  drawn  back 
the  lock.  Click !  At  the  crisp  sound  some  one  stirred. 
A  dusky  figure  stood  up  on  one  of  the  boats  close  by, 
and  commenced  to  pole  lustily.  Then  a  second  stood 
erect,  and  Dick  could  hear  the  splash  as  his  pole  fell 
into  the  water. 

"Stop!"  he  shouted.  "Bring  that  boat  back,  or  I 
fire!" 

He  covered  the  nearest  figure  with  his  weapon,  and 
waited,  wliile  his  shout  was  followed  immediately  by 
a  scuffling  behind  him,  and  by  the  almost  instant  ap- 
pearance of  Mr.  Pepson.  The  latter  seemed  to  take  in 
the  position  at  a  glance.  His  eye  detected  the  boat  now 
so  far  away,  the  two  remaining  ones  being  poled  by 
the  two  dark  figures,  and  the  huge,  lumbering  body  of 
the  Dutchman,  still  motionless  and  asleep. 

"Shoot,"  he  said,  quietly. 

Dick  lifted  the  weapon  again,  sighted  for  his  man, 
and  fired.  There  was  a  loud  shriek,  and  hardly  had 
the  echo  of  the  shot  died  down  when  a  splash  told  that 
the  bullet  had  reached.  But  our  hero  was  not  content. 
He  stretched  for  the  bag,  snatched  another  cartridge, 
and,  having  placed  it  in  the  rifle,  covered  the  second 
man.  However  there  was  no  need  to  fire,  for  a  second 
splash  told  that  the  miscreant,  warned  by  the  fate  of 
his  comrade,  had  leaped  overboard. 

"What  has  happened?"  demanded  Mr.  Pepson, 
sharply,  but  with  no  trace  of  excitement  in  his  voice. 
"You  were  asleep,  for  it  is  barely  half-past  eight.     You 


58       With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

found  our  watchman  also  asleep,  and  the  boats  de- 
parting.    Did  you  see  any  one  else?" 

"No  one,"  answered  Dick,  promptly.  "But  there 
must  be  one  other  at  least.  Look!  There  is  a  man 
poling  the  far  boat." 

"And  he  is  too  far  away  for  a  shot  now.  I  might 
hit  him,  but  the  light  is  deceptive." 

"Then  why  not  follow  sir?"  exclaimed  Dick. 
"Johnnie  banked  the  fires,  and  in  a  few  minutes  there 
should  be  steam.  That  boat  won't  have  a  chance.  We 
shall  be  up  with  her  before  she  can  get  far." 

"But  not  before  our  goods  are  stolen.  No,  we  will 
give  chase  in  one  of  the  other  boats,"  said  Mr.  Pepson, 
with  decision.  "Meinheer,  bring  the  steamer  along  at 
once.     Dick  and  I  will  follow." 

Already  he  was  throwing  off  the  hawser  which  held 
the  anchor,  and,  as  he  did  so,  Dick  seized  a  pole.  A 
few  strokes  took  the  launch  close  to  the  moving  boats 
which  had  been  so  silently  set  adrift. 

"Hold  on,  Johnnie,  and  you  too,  Meinheer,"  called 
out  Mr.  Pepson.  "Now,  Dick,  get  aboard  with  the 
gun,  and  Fll  follow  with  another.  We'll  make  one 
boat  fast  and  pole  the  other  down." 

He  ran  along  the  deck  of  the  launch,  while  Dick 
leaped  into  one  of  the  native  craft,  two  of  which  re- 
mained lashed  side  by  side,  and  were  floating  away 
together.  Suddenly  a  thought  occurred  to  him.  He 
sprang  back  into  the  launch,  seized  the  bag  of  cart- 
ridges, and  satisfying  himself  that  it  was  well  filled, 
slung  it  over  his  shoulder  and  again  sprang  into  the 
native  boat. 

"Better  get  all  ready  for  the  pursuit,"  he  said  to 


A  Chase  and  a  Fight  59 

himself.  ''I'll  set  the  two  boats  free,  and  toss  the  end 
of  a  rope  attached  to  one  to  iMeinlieer.  He  can  make 
it  fast  aft  and  follow  with  the  lioat  in  tow." 

He  fell  upon  the  lashings  with  eagerness,  and  when 
Mr.  Pepson  appeared  from  the  cabin,  carrying  a  rifle, 
Dick  had  the  two  boats  separated,  and  had  tossed  a 
rope  attached  to  one  to  the  Dutchman. 

"Catch,  Meinheer!"  he  shouted,  for  the  burly  Dutch- 
man, since  he  had  become  fully  awake,  seemed  to  be 
endeavouring  to  collect  his  wits.  The  report  of  the 
rifle  had  brought  him  languidly  to  his  feet,  and  now  he 
stared  at  his  two  comrades  in  amazement,  wholly  un- 
able to  understand  the  need  for  such  bustling,  or  for  so 
much  excitement. 

"Bud  whad  is  zis?"  he  demanded.  "Is  id  ze  middle 
of  ze  nighd,  or — whad?" 

"It  means  that  you've  been  asleep  when  you  ought 
to  have  been  keeping  watch,"  answered  Mr.  Pepson, 
bluntly.  "Some  thieves  have  cut  our  boats  adrift,  and 
one  is  being  poled  away.  Don't  stare,  Meinheer.  Take 
the  rope  Dick  has  thrown  and  make  it  fast.  Then 
follow  as  soon  as  you  have  steam.  Johnnie,  get  that 
fire  to  blaze." 

He  stepped  into  the  native  craft  and  took  the  pole 
which  Dick  offered  him. 

"Ready?"  asked  Dick. 

A  loud  splash  was  the  only  answer,  as  Mr.  Pepson 
let  his  pole  fall  into  the  water.  Dick  followed  suit, 
and  in  a  little  while  they  were  shooting  down  the 
river,  which  in  these  parts  was  sufficiently  shallow  to 
all(jw  of  poling. 

"Keep  her  in  near  the  bank,  sir,"  sang  out  Dick. 


6o      With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

"It  gets  deeper  out  there,  and  I've  noticed  that  the  fel- 
low who  is  poling  is  sometimes  unable  to  bottom.  We 
are  getting  nearer  already.     Can  we  try  a  shot?" 

"Wait,"  was  the  answer.  "We  have  him  in  any 
case.  He  cannot  escape  us,  and  if  we  only  keep  him 
in  sight  he  cannot  take  our  goods.  Keep  on  as  we  are 
till  we  are  certain  of  a  shot.  If  he  tries  to  make  to  the 
opposite  shore,  where  all  is  dense  shadow,  we  will 
drop  our  poles  and  fire  together." 

Ten  minutes  later  they  had  overhauled  the  runaway 
to  some  extent,  and  when  half  an  hour  had  passed 
they  judged  that  they  were  within  easy  distance. 

"Try  a  shot,"  said  Mr.  Pepson.  "Your  young  eyes 
are  better  than  mine.  "Don't  hesitate,  my  lad.  These 
fellows  are  rogues  and  would  kill  us  without  a  thought. 
We  must  teach  them  a  lesson." 

Till  that  moment  our  hero  would  not  have  thought 
of  hesitating,  for  he  had  felt  the  excitement  of  the 
chase,  and  he  realized  that  he  had  to  do  with  robbers 
who  no  doubt  would  have  no  scruples  in  killing  him 
were  he  to  come  upon  them.  But  just  then  the  excite- 
ment had  lessened  somewhat.  They  were  overhauling 
the  chase  without  a  doubt,  and  the  figure  poling  the 
runaway  boat  looked  so  harmless  there  in  the  moon- 
light. Also  he  appeared  to  be  unarmed.  However, 
an  order  was  an  order,  and  his  duty  was  plain. 
He  dropped  his  pole  into  the  bottom  of  the  boat,  picked 
up  his  rifle,  and  took  a  careful  sight. 

"Sight  about  the  middle  of  his  body — no  higher," 
said  Mr.  Pepson.     "That  should  find  a  mark." 

Crash !  The  report  of  the  rifle  set  the  jungle  ring- 
ing, while  it  reverberated  along  the  still  surface  of  the 


A  Chase  and  a  Fight  6  i 

river.  Then  came  a  shriek,  followed  by  a  shout  from 
the  shore.  The  native  who  poled  the  boat  staggered 
and  almost  fell.  Then  he  recovered  himself,  answered 
the  shout  from  the  shore,  and  in  an  instant  had  swung 
the  boat's  head  round  in  that  direction. 

"We  have  him  sure  enough."  cried  Mr.  Pepson,  for 
the  first  time  showing  some  trace  of  excitement.  "He 
is  making  for  the  moonlit  side,  and  cannot  escape.  At 
least,  the  boat  and  its  freight  are  ours  again.  Drop 
the  ririe  and  take  to  the  pole." 

They  plunged  their  long  poles  into  the  w^ater  and 
sent  the  craft  dancing  after  the  other.  But  quick  as 
they  were,  the  boat  in  advance  seemed  to  shoot  across 
the  moonlit  stretch,  and  rapidly  gained  the  bank. 
Again  there  was  a  shout,  a  dark  figure  ran  out  into  the 
river,  splashing  the  water  loudly.  Then  a  second  fol- 
lowed, while  the  native  who  had  been  aboard  threw  his 
pole  aside  and  staggered  ashore. 

"Heavily  hit,"  gasped  Mr.  Pepson,  for  the  exertion 
of  poling  was  beginning  to  tell  upon  him.  "But  I  was 
right.  We  have  the  boat.  and.  after  all,  what  more  do 
we  want?  Pole  easily,  Dick,  and  keep  an  eye  on  those 
fellows.  Ah,  they  seem  to  have  run  for  it.  We  have 
nothing  to  fear  from  them  at  least." 

They  pushed  their  craft  gently  into  the  shallows,  till 
they  were  almost  beneath  the  trees.  Then,  giving  one 
lusty  push,  Dick  stepped  over  the  side  and  waded, 
dragging  the  boat  after  him.  A  minute  later  both 
were  ashore,  and  were  inspecting  the  other  craft. 

"We  were  just  in  time,"  said  Mr.  Pepson,  in  tones 
of  the  greatest  satisfaction.  "Another  few  minutes 
and  they  would  have  got  clear  away,  and  then  good- 


62       With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

bye  to  the  expedition,  for  a  time  at  any  rate.  Make 
her  fast,  Dick,  and  keep  a  watch  ashore." 

Well  was  it  for  both  of  them  that  Dick  did  as  he 
was  told.  Indeed,  from  the  moment  at  which  he  had 
leaped  into  the  river  and  commenced  to  wade,  his  sus- 
picions had  kept  him  alert  with  his  eyes  fixed  upon  the 
jungle  and  bush  into  which  the  three  dark  figures  had 
disappeared.  And  now  he  was  to  find  good  cause  for 
his  wariness,  for,  of  a  sudden,  as  Mr.  Pepson  took  the 
rope  which  was  made  fast  to  the  bows  of  the  runaway, 
and  dragged  it  towards  the  craft  in  which  they  had 
undertaken  the  pursuit,  a  sharp  sound  came  from  the 
depths  of  the  jungle.  It  was  the  snapping  of  a  dried 
twig,  a  crisp  and  startling  noise  which  caused  both  to 
look  up  suddenly. 

"They  are  not  so  far  away,  I  think,"  said  Dick,  in  a 
low  voice.  "Wouldn't  it  be  better  if  we  moved  away, 
sir?  We  are  in  the  full  blaze  of  the  moon's  rays  here, 
while  they  are  in  the  shadow.  That's  how  that 
robber  managed  to  get  away  from  me  down  at  the 
coast." 

Hardly  had  the  words  left  his  lips  w^hen  a  single 
shot  rang  out,  startling  the  silence,  while  the  flash  of 
the  weapon  lit  up  the  immediate  surroundings  of  the 
bush,  and  showed  a  dozen  dark  figures  perhaps,  all  in 
the  act  of  running  forward.  Dick  noticed  that  in  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye,  and  heard  also  the  click  of  the 
missile  as  it  struck  a  hanging  tough  some  feet  in  front 
of  him.  Then  there  was  a  dull  thud,  that  thud  which 
in  the  old  days  of  large  calibre  rifles  and  heavy  bullets 
told  unmistakably  of  a  hit.  A  second  later  a  heavy 
splash  and  a  sickening  gurgle  told  the  young  English- 


A  Chase  and  a  Fight  63 

man  the  horrid  truth.  His  comrade  had  been  struck 
and  had  fallen  into  the  shallow  water. 

It  was  a  terrifying  position,  and  for  a  second  Dick 
stood  rooted  to  the  spot  with  consternation.  Then  his 
courage  returned,  and  with  the  memory  of  that  glimpse 
of  charging  figures  which  the  flash  of  the  rifle  had 
given  him.  he  stooped,  ckitched  his  fallen  friend,  and 
staggered  to  the  lx)at.  Half  throwing  him  into  it.  he 
leaned  across  the  thwarts,  seized  his  rifle,  and  extracted 
a  cartridge  from  the  bag.  He  had  still  a  moment  to 
spare,  for  the  patter  of  feet  and  the  snap  of  many  a 
twig  told  him  that  the  enemy  were  not  yet  quite  at 
hand. 

"They  are  bound  to  kill  us  both  here  in  the  light," 
he  thought,  as  the  prominence  of  their  position  flashed 
across  his  brain.     "I'll  get  into  the  shadow." 

He  had  always  l^een  noted  for  his  agility,  and  on 
this  fine  night  our  hero  surpassed  himself.  Fear  gave 
him  strength,  or  else  he  could  hardly  have  lifted  his 
comrade  as  he  had  done.  And  now  the  same  stimulus 
seemed  to  have  sharpened  his  wits.  He  leaped  at  the 
gimwale  of  the  boat  and  pushed  the  craft  into  deeper 
water.  Then  with  a  parting  thrust  of  his  leg  he 
scrambled  aboard,  while  the  boat,  impelled  by  the  push 
he  had  given  it,  shot  across  the  moonlit  shadows,  and 
burst  its  way  into  the  deep  shade  of  an  overhanging 
tree.  Dick  clutched  a  bough  and  arrested  its  further 
progress.  Then  leaning  his  shoulder  against  the  same 
friendly  limb  of  the  tree,  he  raised  the  rifle  to  his 
shoulder.  There  was  a  chorus  of  loud  shouts,  the 
splash  of  many  feet,  and  in  a  second  ten  dusky  figures 
burst    into   the    full    light   of   the    moon    and    rushed 


64      With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

towards  the  tree  which  hid  their  quarry.  Not  till  then 
did  Dick  fully  realize  his  danger.  He  had  imagined 
till  now  that  his  foes  were  natives  from  the  river-banks, 
thieves  who  had  come  out  to  rob  the  expedition  during 
the  night.  But  there  was  one  amongst  the  group 
charging  down  upon  him  who  showed  that  he  was 
mistaken.  There  was  no  chance  of  his  being  in  error, 
for  the  brilliant  moon  lit  the  scene  too  well,  and  showed 
before  him  the  half-caste  James  Langdon,  who  had  so 
recently  fled  from  the  coast,  carrying  Dick's  store  of 
gold  with  him. 

"Then  he  at  least  shall  suffer  now,  whatever  hap- 
pens to  the  others,"  exclaimed  our  hero.  Lifting  his 
weapon  again  he  covered  the  half-caste,  waited  till  he 
felt  sure  of  his  aim,  and  pressed  the  trigger.  Once 
again  there  was  a  shout,  and  one  of  the  unfortunate 
natives  who  aided  the  rascally  half-caste,  leaped  high 
into  the  air  to  fall  next  instant  with  a  splash  into  the 
water. 

"Rush!  He  is  now  unarmed!  Cut  the  dog  to 
pieces!"  shouted  James  Langdon. 

There  was  an  ugly  gleam  in  the  eyes  of  the  robbers 
as  they  heard  the  shout,  and  slight  though  Dick's 
knowledge  was  of  the  language  of  these  Fantis,  he  rec- 
ognized the  meaning  of  the  words.  Quick  as  thought 
he  threw  his  weapon  down  and  drew  his  revolver. 
They  were  close  to  the  tree  now,  and  nothing  but  the 
darkness  baffled  them.  But  there  was  their  disadvan- 
tage, and  Dick  made  the  most  of  it.  Singling  out  the 
foremost  he  fired  full  in  his  face,  and  then,  ere  the  re- 
port died  down,  pulled  heavily  on  the  bough  and 
dragged  himself  and  the  native  boat  still  farther  into 


"in;  ii:i.i.  uiiii  a  <  kasii  inio  the  kivek' 


A  Chase  and  a  Fight  65 

tlie  sliadow.  A  second  later  tlie  weapon  spoke  again, 
and  another  of  the  miscreants  fell.  But  still  their  com- 
mander urged  them  on, 

"Think  of  the  ritles  and  other  goods,"  he  shouted. 
"There  is  only  one  between  you  and  the  prize,  and  he 
is  only  a  boy.  Rush  him!  Cut  him  to  the  chin! 
Stand  aside  and  I  will  lead  you.     Now,  are  all  ready?" 

He  turned  to  look  at  his  men.  and  waved  a  native 
sword  overhead  to  encourage  them.  Then  he  peered 
into  the  dense  shadow  and  was  in  the  very  act  of  lead- 
ing a  final  charge  when  there  was  a  sudden  and  unex- 
pected interniption.  A  single  shot  rang  out  from  the 
river,  while  one  of  the  enemy  fell  on  his  face  in  the 
water  and  disappeared  from  sight. 

"Ahoy !  jMine  friends !  Are  you  zere  ?"  came  in 
the  guttural  tones  of  the  Dutchman. 

"Fire  on  them."  shouted  Dick,  levelling  his  revolver 
again  and  sending  a  shot  into  the  group.  Fire,  ]\Iein- 
heer !    Drive  them  off.    Mr.  Pepson  is  badly  wounded." 

An  instant  later  the  nose  of  the  steam  launch  shot 
into  view,  some  fifty  yards  from  the  bank,  and  Dick 
caught  a  glimpse  between  the  leaves  of  the  big  tree 
which  sheltered  him  of  the  anxious  face  of  Johnnie, 
peering  from  over  the  engine-well,  and  of  the  portly 
figure  of  the  Dutchman,  a  portion  of  which  was  hidden 
by  the  cabin  aft.  He  stood  there  jjromincnt  in  the 
rays  of  the  moon,  a  rifle  in  his  hands,  and  his  short 
sword  attached  to  his  side.  Then,  as  his  eye  lit  again 
on  the  group  of  natives,  he  lifted  the  weapon,  and 
hardly  had  the  report  of  Dick's  revolver  died  down 
when  there  was  a  flash,  and  the  half-caste  who  had 
formerly  robbed  our  hero,  and  wlio  had  now  made  such 


66       With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

an  artful  attack  upon  the  boats  of  the  expedition, 
clapped  his  hand  to  his  thigh  and  gave  vent  to  a  loud 
bellow.  Then  he  turned  and  fired  a  shot  at  the  Dutch- 
man, a  shot  which  flew  past  in  the  air,  screaming  and 
hissmg  towards  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river.  But 
long  before  it  could  have  reached  that  destination  the 
robber  had  swung  round  on  his  heel,  and  with  a  shout 
of  defiance  had  raced  for  the  shadows.  After  him 
Dick  sent  the  remainder  of  his  magazine,  while  Mein- 
heer  Van  Somering,  when  he  had  recovered  from  the 
consternation  into  which  the  shriek  of  the  shot  had 
thrown  him,  followed  his  example,  much  to  our  hero's 
trepidation,  for  the  bullets  flew  on  either  hand,  cutting 
a  shower  of  leaves  from  the  trees. 

''Steady,  Meinheer !"  he  shouted.  "You  will  be  hit- 
ting us  soon.  We  are  here  under  the  tree.  I  had  to 
seek  shelter  from  the  light,  for  they  would  have  picked 
us  off  easily.  Bring  the  launch  in  and  I  will  wade  out 
to  you.     I  fear  that  Mr.  Pepson  is  seriously  hurt." 

Leaping  overboard  he  pushed  the  boat  clear  of  the 
tree  and  of  the  shadow,  and  soon  had  it  alongside  the 
launch,  for  the  latter  steamed  gently  into  the  shallows. 
Then  the  leader  of  the  expedition  was  lifted  aboard, 
the  two  boats  were  made  fast  to  the  stern  of  the 
steamer,  and  they  pushed  out  into  the  stream. 

"Better  make  for  the  far  shore,"  said  Dick.  "Then 
we  shall  not  be  treated  to  long  shots." 

"Bud  zese  wicked  robbers,  Meinheer,"  gasped  the 
Dutchman.  "Shall  we  led  zem  go  free?  Shall  zey 
escape  ?" 

"We  can  do  nothing  more."  was  Dick's  answer, 
given  with  decision.     "They  are  gone  long  ago.     The 


A  Chase  and  a  Fight  67 

forest  has  swallowed  those  who  are  alive.  Let  them 
nin.  Meinheer.  and  do  not  trouble  any  more  alx>nt 
them  at  the  present  time.  To-morrow,  when  there  is 
light,  we  will  visit  the  bank  again  and  see  what  has 
happened  to  them.  For  the  moment  let  us  look  to  Mr. 
Pepson.  Xow,  Johnnie,  steer  us  for  the  far  side,  and 
when  you  reach  the  shadow,  come  to  a  stop  just  inside 
its  edge.  Whatever  you  do.  keep  steam  up.  and  have 
the  propeller  just  moving,  so  that  we  shall  not  be 
drifted  down-stream.  Now  we  will  light  the  lamp  and 
see  to  our  friend." 

Without  hesitation  he  took  the  lead,  now  that  Mr. 
Pepson  was  incapacitated,  for  he  realized  in  a  moment 
that  Meinheer  Van  Somering  was  not  to  be  relied  on 
in  such  an  emergency.  Indeed,  he  had  been  struck 
with  amazement  at  the  boldness  already  displayed  by 
his  stout  friend,  for  who  would  have  expected,  know- 
ing him  as  they  did.  that  he  would  have  dared  to  stand 
there  so  conspicuously  on  the  deck  of  the  launch  and 
fire  upon  the  robbers?  Meinheer  Van  Somering  had 
gone  up  in  Dick's  estimation.  He  had  proved  that  he 
had  some  store  of  courage  after  all.  But  he  lacked 
self-control.  At  this  moment  when  he  should  have 
l)een  cool  and  thoughtful,  for  the  danger  had  passed, 
he  was  tramping  the  deck  from  end  to  end.  causing  the 
stout  launch  to  heel  to  either  side.  And  every  minute 
he  would  halt  and  stare  at  the  forest  which  had  just 
Iteen  left.  At  such  moments  his  fist  would  close  round 
his  rifle,  while  his  finger  would  feel  for  the  trigger. 

"Mcin  w.^rd !"  he  cried.  "Bud  zey  would  have 
killed  us!  Zey  were  robbers  and  murderers.  Ah!  I 
shod  two  of  ;^cni.     Meinheer  Dick,  you  saw  me  do  id." 


68       With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

"I  saw,  '  growled  our  hero,  ''but  we  can  talk  of  that 
later.  Come  and  help  with  the  lamp.  Put  your  rifle 
down  and  leave  the  robbers  to  take  care  of  themselves. 
Come,  Meinheer,  our  comrade  may  be  bleeding  to 
death." 

There  was  a  tone  of  command  now  in  his  voice,  and 
at  the  sound  Meinheer  dropped  his  weapon  and  came 
aft.  Already  Dick  had  been  able  to  find  the  lamp,  and 
just  as  the  Dutchman  reached  him  he  struck  a  match 
and  lit  the  wick  of  the  candle. 

"Hold  the  lamp,  please,"  he  said.  "Higher,  so  that 
I  can  get  a  good  view.  Now,  what  has  happened? 
I  heard  the  bullet  strike  heavily.  Ah !  Thank 
heaven !     He  is  alive." 

"And  zere,  I  zink,  is  ze  wound.  See,  Meinheer 
Dick,  zere  is  blood.  Oh,  mine  poor  friend !  How  he 
has  been  hurd!" 

"Higher !"  commanded  Dick,  as  the  Dutchman,  for- 
getful of  his  request,  lowered  the  lamp.  "That  is 
right.  Keep  it  there,  please,  till  I  have  ripped  the  coat 
open.  Ah,  here  is  another  wound  in  the  head.  That 
will  account  for  his  being  insensible." 

Together,  the  Dutchman's  tendency  to  undue  excite- 
ment arrested  by  the  coolness  displayed  by  his  young 
companion,  they  cut  the  shoulder  of  the  coat  away  and 
inspected  the  wound.  Then  they  went  in  search  of 
bandages  and  dressings,  for  the  thoughtful  Mr.  Pepson 
had  included  a  cabinet  of  drugs  and  instruments  in  the 
outfit  of  the  expedition.  Neither  of  the  two  friends 
who  looked  to  the  wounds  had  had  previous  experience, 
but  common  sense  helped  them,  while  the  lamp  allowed 
them  to  read  the  clearly  printed  directions  contained  in 


A  Chase  and  a  Fight  69 

the  cabinet.  They  bathed  the  wounds  in  the  shoulder 
and  the  scalp,  and  applied  the  dressings.  Then  they 
put  the  anil  in  a  sling,  and  placed  it  across  the  wound- 
ed man's  chest. 

"He  is  coming  to,"  said  Dick,  after  a  while.  "We 
will  give  him  a  few  drops  of  water.  Hold  his  head  so, 
Aleinheer.     Now  I  will  pour  a  little  between  his  lips." 

An  hour  later  their  friend  was  conscious  again,  and 
was  sitting  up  with  his  back  leaning  against  the  gun- 
wale. 

'T  feel  dizzy  and  my  head  aches  dreadfully,"  he  said, 
with  a  plucky  smile.  "Look  in  the  cabinet,  Dick,  and 
you  will  find  something  there  which  will  quiet  me. 
Then  perhaps  I  shall  get  to  sleep  and  be  myself  to-mor- 
row. Xe\er  fear,  my  friends.  The  wounds  are  not 
so  serious,  for  the  gash  in  my  shoulder  is  merely  a 
flesh  wound,  and  the  bone  is  quite  uninjured.  As  to 
the  scalp  wound.  I  am  a  fortunate  man.  I  think  that 
the  bullet  must  have  glanced  from  a  bough,  for  I  heard 
a  sound  just  before  I  was  struck.  Then  it  hit  my 
shoulder,  and  as  it  flew  on  just  touched  my  head, 
glancing  from  the  bone,  and  hitting  me  hard  enough  to 
stun  me.  By  the  way,  I  was  standing  in  the  water.  I 
suppose  Dick  pulled  me  out  again?  That  is  another 
tiebt  I  owe  him." 

"You  ought  to  keep  quiet,"  was  our  hero's  answer, 
as  he  arrived  with  a  bottle  and  a  glass  in  his  hand. 
"Here  we  are,  sir.  A  teaspoonful  in  a  little  water, 
and  then  silence.  There,  drink  it  up.  and  sleep.  W'e 
will  look  to  the  safety  of  the  boats." 

He  held  the  glass  to  Mr.  Pepson's  lips  and  watched 
as  he  feebly  drained  it.  for  there  was  little  doubt  that 


JO      With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

the  leader  was  sadly  injured,  and  only  his  pluck  had 
allowed  him  to  chatter  at  all.  However,  he  obediently 
drank  the  mixture,  and  seemed  to  be  glad  to  settle 
do^^•n  on  the  rug  which  the  Dutchman  produced.  An- 
other rug  was  thrown  over  him,  a  cushion  placed  under 
the  wounded  limb,  and  the  lamp  removed  from  before 
his  eyes.  Dick  and  Meinheer  retired  to  the  far  end  of 
the  launch  and  stood  there  chatting  in  whispers,  till, 
in  less  than  half  an  hour,  the  deep  breathing  of  the 
sufferer  told  that  he  was  asleep. 

All  this  while  the  launch,  with  the  boats  trailing  out 
behind  her,  lay  in  the  dense  shadow  of  the  river-bank, 
her  propeller  barely  moving,  so  that  she  just  held  her 
place  in  the  river.  Close  at  hand  could  be  heard  the 
murmur  of  the  leaves  in  the  forest,  the  chatter  of  mon- 
keys, and  the  call  of  night  birds,  arrested  a  little  while 
ago  by  the  reports  of  the  rifles.  And  on  the  other 
side  a  fine  moonlit  vista  was  displayed.  The  surface 
of  the  river  Pra  lay  spread  out  in  the  rays  of  the  pale 
African  orb,  while  the  water  rippled  and  slid  down 
toward  the  sea,  seeming  to  be  particularly  peaceful  on 
this  lovely  night.  Looking  at  its  shining  surface,  and 
at  the  wonderful  lights  and  shadows  beyond  scattered 
along  the  face  of  the  jungle,  one  almost  wondered 
whether  the  coming  of  the  robbers  were  not  after  all 
a  dream.  Whether  murder  and  theft  had,  in  fact, 
been  attempted,  and  whether  away  on  that  far  shore 
there  actually  lay  the  dark  forms  of  the  attacking 
natives  who  had  lost  their  lives  in  the  bold  and  das- 
tardly attempt.  But  there  could  be  no  doubt.  As 
Dick  Stapleton  stood  in  his  shirt  sleeves  upon  the  roof 
of  the  tiny  cabin,  rifle  in  hand,  and  cartridge  bag  about 


A   Chase   and   a    Fight 


/ 


liis  sturdy  shoulders,  his  eager  eyes  searched  every 
shadow,  and  followed  every  line  of  river  and  forest 
which  was  illuminated.  Suddenly  his  arm  shot  out. 
His  figure  became  rigid,  while  his  finger  pointed  across 
the  water. 

"There  is  one  of  the  rascals,  at  any  rate."  he  said. 
"He  has  come  to  look  to  his  comrades,  and  no  doubt 
thinks  that  we  are  far  away  by  now.  See,  Meinheer, 
I  could  pick  him  ofif  from  here  as  if  he  were  a  bird,  and 
I  should  be  justified.  But  that's  not  the  sort  of  game 
I  like  to  play.  They're  beaten.  They've  had  a  lesson, 
and  I  fancy  Master  James  Langdon  will  remember  it. 
As  for  us.  I  should  say  that  we  have  had  a  very  narrow^ 
escape." 

There  was  a  grunt  of  approval  and  acquiescence 
from  Van  Somering.  a  puff  of  smoke  proceeded  from 
his  lips,  and  he  growled  out  a  reply. 

"Mein  friend,"  he  said,  in  condescending  tones,  "we 
are  conquerors,  is  id  nod  so?  Zen  zere  is  no  need  to 
kill  more  of  zese  men.  Led  zem  go  peacefully  while 
we  make  ze  mosd  of  ze  nighd  which  remains.  Mein- 
heer,  id  is  near  ze  hour  of  midnighd.  Your  wadch 
should  commence  now.     I  will  sleeb.  for  I  am  weary." 

He  seemed  to  have  forgotten  the  fact  that  it  was  his 
drowsiness  which  had  almost  brought  disaster  to  the 
expedition,  and  that  Dick's  watch  should  have  com- 
menced at  nine  and  ended  at  twelve.  With  a  grunt  he 
rolled  along  the  deck,  leaving  our  hero  in  command  of 
the  situation. 


CHAPTER  V 
A  Question  of  Importance 

Dick  shivered  and  fidgeted.  He  tapped  the  deck  gent- 
ly with  his  toe,  and  then  got  up  and  clambered  to  the 
roof  of  the  tiny  cabin  again,  for  he  was  ill  at  ease.  It 
was  not  the  chill  air  of  the  early  morning  which  made 
his  blood  run  cold,  nor  the  damp  mist  which  rose  on 
every  side  from  river  and  jungle,  from  the  stagnant 
pools  lying  amidst  the  roots  of  giant  trees  and  boulders, 
and  from  the  mossy  margins  of  the  stream,  where  the 
eddies  played,  and  the  current  was  still.  It  was  neither 
of  these,  for  there  was  no  chill  in  the  heart  of  this 
African  country.  The  morning  was  almost  as  stiflingly 
hot  as  the  night  had  been,  though  the  green  of  the 
leaves,  and  the  shimmer  of  the  river  surface  as  it  met 
his  eye  through  the  thin  mist,  looked  cool  and  refresh- 
ing. Dick  was  uneasy  in  his  mind.  As  he  had  sat 
the  hours  of  darkness  through  his  thoughts  had  been 
busy.  Remorse,  anguish,  bitter  self-condemnation  had 
come  in  turn  to  torture  his  mind,  and  now,  as  the  dark- 
ness waned  and  the  light  increased,  he  was  constantly 
on  the  move,  searching  the  river-bank  on  the  far  side. 
"There!  Yes,  that  is  the  tree,"  he  said,  as  he  point- 
ed to  the  bush  beyond.     "I  can  recognize  it,  and  be- 

72 


A  Qiiestion  of  Importance      73 

neatli  it  lie  those  puur  fellows.  1  killed  them!  They 
are  stretched  out  there  cold  and  stiff,  those  whom  the 
water  does  not  cover.     Oh,  it  is  awful  to  think  about." 

He  wrung  his  hands,  while  there  was  a  look  of 
anguish  on  his  usually  jolly  face.  Had  James  Lang- 
don,  the  rascal  who  had  made  the  attack  in  the  night 
which  had  just  passed,  been  able  to  see  him  he  would 
have  laughed,  for  this  sturdy  young  Englishman,  look- 
ing so  strong  and  active  on  this  early  morning,  would 
hardly  have  dared  to  lift  his  rifle.  He  was  suffering 
the  torment  of  mind  which  has  come  to  many  a  thou- 
santl  young  warriors  before  him.  Not  because  he 
wished  it,  but  owing  to  pure  accident,  he  had  the  blood 
of  fellow  beings  on  his  hands.  He  had  killed  men. 
He  had  seen  them  fall.  He  remembered  the  horrid 
gurgling  sound  made  by  the  unhappy  wretch  who  had 
fallen  into  the  water  and  sunk  to  the  mud.  The 
hideous  noise  had  haunted  him  the  night  through,  so 
that  he  was  unmanned  and  shivering.  His  fists  were 
clenched,  and  his  teeth  held  tight  together. 

"I  killed  them,"  he  murmured. 

"And  they  have  themselves  to  thank,"  said  a  voice 
at  his  elbow.  "So  that's  how  the  wind  blows!  Our 
gallant  young  agent  would  rather  fall  himself  and  see 
his  comrades  massacred  than  fire  on  rascals  who  were 
ready  to  murder  all.  No !  No,  I  did  not  mean  that, 
my  lad.     But — look  here!" 

It  was  Mr.  Pepson,  standing  there  on  the  deck  as 
erect  as  ever,  as  if  he  had  received  no  wound,  though 
the  bandages  about  his  head  and  his  shoulder  and  the 
blood-stains  upi>n  them,  showed  that  he  undoubtedly 
had.     But  Dick  had  begim  to  discover  some  unsus- 


74       With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

pected  points  about  this  employer  of  his,  and  had  come 
to  the  conclusion  that  he  was  possessed  of  no  ordinary 
pluck  and  go,  though  he  showed  it  in  his  own  quiet 
and  unassuming  manner,  and,  in  addition,  that  thin 
and  cada\erous  though  he  seemed  to  be,  yet  this  trader 
from  Sierra  Leone  was  as  hard  as  nails.  He 
stared  at  him  in  amazement,  and  then  flushed  at  his 
words. 

"Why,  you  ought  to  be  wrapped  in  your  rug!"  he 
exclaimed  sharply.  "You  are  hurt,  and  need  a  little 
nursing." 

"A  mere  scratch — a  flea-bite,  I  assure  you.  I  have 
had  many  w'orse  before  this,  as  you  may  learn  when 
T  tell  you  a  little  of  my  life's  history.  But  speaking  of 
rugs.  That's  what  you  want,  my  lad,  and  a  good  talk- 
ing-to  besides.  Now,  listen  to  me,  Dick.  I  don't 
blame  you,  nor  do  I  smile  at  your  thoughts  and  feel- 
ings, for  every  decent  fellow  has  them.  I  remember 
a  ruffian  who  thought  to  rob  me  in  South  America, 
many  years  ago.  "^^s,  I  was  a  youngster  little  older 
than  you  are.  I  shot  him  dead,  and  lay  down  beside 
him  through  the  night,  because  that  was  the  safest 
place.  When  the  sun  came  up  and  showed  me  that  I 
was  alone  and  that  there  was  no  more  trouble  to  fear, 
I  looked  at  that  poor  fellow.  He  was  lying  on  his 
back,  his  legs  curled  up  beneath  him,  and  his  hands 
stretched  out  as  if  he  were  asleep.  But  his  white  face 
and  the  pool  beside  him  told  me  the  awful  truth.  I 
bolted.  I  ran  away,  Dick.  I  felt  like  a  murderer, 
and  for  days  wondered  whether  I  should  be  tracked. 
Then  I  saw  the  other  side.  A  rancher  took  me  in 
hand,  just  as  I  am  doing  with  you,  and  he  made  me 


A  Qjicstlon  of  Importance      75 

see  the  right  side.  W'liy.  bless  me.  the  world  is  filled 
with  honest  people  and  with  rogiies,  and  the  latter 
prey  upon  their  fellows.  Are  the  honest  men  to  put 
uj)  with  robbery  and  violence?  Did  you  agree  so  easily 
to  James  Langdon's  taking  your  gold?  Did  you? 
Come,  answer  the  question." 

Dick  was  cornered,  and  began  to  see  the  other  side 
of  the  matter.  The  sun  was  coming  up.  too,  and  the 
damp  mist  was  already  beginning  to  disappear.  Our 
surroundings  often  have  an  immense  effect  upon  the 
brightness  or  otherwise  of  our  thoughts,  and  our  hero, 
usually  so  jolly  and  so  genial,  had  felt  the  depression 
common  to  many  who  keep  watch  alone  during  the 
dark  hours  after  an  action. 

"Of  course  I  didn't."  he  answered.  *T  tried  to 
shoot  him,  just  as  I  did  last  night,  and  he  would  have 
richly  deserved  his  fate." 

"Quite  so.  And  these  rascals  last  night  deserved 
theirs,  without  a  doubt.  It  happened  that  you  were 
the  one  to  stand  between  them  and  their  wishes,  and 
they  did  their  utmost  to  remove  you.  Theirs  was 
might  against  right,  and  right  prevailed.  They  paid 
the  penalty,  and  here  are  you  grieving  because  all  has 
happened  as  it  should.  Come.  No  more  of  this  non- 
sense! Tell  me  about  the  action,  for,  rememljer.  after 
the  moment  when  we  set  foot  ashore.  I  know  nothing, 
save  that  I  found  myself  alx)ard  this  launch,  with  you 
and  Meinheer  staring  into  my  face.  That  reminds  me. 
Where  is  our  fine  friend?  A  precious  mess  his  lazi- 
ness got  us  into  last  night." 

"Turned  in  and  snoring."  said  Dick.     "Listen!" 

Alx)ve  the  ripple  of  the  water  and  the  sough  of  the 


76       With  Wolseley  to  Kiimasi 

wind  in  the  trees  the  sounds  proceeding-  from  the  nose 
of  the  Dutchman  could  be  distinctly  heard. 

"He  must  have  his  sleep,"  laughed  Mr.  Pepson. 
"Did  I  not  tell  you  that  we  must  needs  rely  upon  our- 
selves for  protection?  He  is  made  for  commerce,  not 
for  warfare." 

"And  yet  he  did  well  last  night.  I'll  tell  you  what 
happened." 

They  sat  down  on  the  tiny  roof  while  Dick  told  how 
the  bullet  had  struck  his  friend,  and  how  the  flash 
had  showed  him  a  dozen  men  rushing  down  upon 
them. 

"That  was  an  awkward  position,"  interrupted  his 
friend.  "I  understand  that  I  was  lying  in  the  water. 
Covered,  in  fact?" 

There  was  a  queer  little  smile  on  his  lips,  and  he 
looked  swiftly  into  Dick's  honest  and  open  face. 

"Yes.  You  had  gone  below  the  surface.  I  was 
stunned  by  the  mishap.  I  thought  it  was  all  up  with 
us." 

"With  me,  you  mean.  You  could  have  bolted.  The 
boat  was  close  at  hand." 

Dick  flushed  to  the  roots  of  his  hair,  and  tore  his 
hat  from  his  head  as  if  the  weight  troubled  him.  He 
stared  at  Mr.  Pepson  in  amazement,  and  then,  seeing 
the  smile,  smiled  back  at  him. 

"You  are  chafling  me,"  he  said.  "Trying  to  hum- 
1-ug  me.  You  know  well  enough  that  no  decent  fellow 
would  do  that.  You  wouldn't.  I  wasn't  going  to 
desert  a  comrade  who  w^as  down  and  helpless,  partic- 
ularly when  there  were  such  ruffians  about.  So  I  set 
to  work  as  quickly  as  possible." 


A  Qjicstion  of  Importance      77 

"You  made  up  your  niinel  to  sec  the  business 
through?" 

"Yes.  I  was  staggered  at  first.  Then  I  caught  you 
up,  not  too  gently,  1  fear,  and  dumped  you  into  the 
boat.  After  that  I  pushed  her  out  and  shoved  off  into 
the  shadow  of  the  trees." 

"Why?     What  was  your  reason?" 

Mr.  Pepson  was  hke  an  inquisitor.  He  still  smiled 
the  same  little  smile,  and  still  treated  his  agent  to  an 
occasional  flash  of  his  brilliant  eyes,  as  if  he  would 
probe  him  to  the  utmost  depth. 

"My  reason?  Oh.  we  were  in  the  light,  you  see. 
The  moon  was  up.  and  the  beggars  could  pot  us  easily. 
They  had  gims,  remember,  else  you  would  not  have 
been  hit.  I  reckoned — all  of  a  sudden — I  don't  know 
how  it  was,  quite — that  we  should  be  safer  there,  and 
so  into  the  shadow  I  went.  Then  they  occupied 
our  position.  I  could  see  to  shoot,  while  they 
were  Ixithered.  Still,  they  made  a  fine  rush,  and 
things  began  to  look  ugly  when  the  launch  came 
into  view.  Our  friend  showed  his  mettle,  for 
he  fired  at  once,  and  his  shot  practically  ended 
the  engagement.  Then  we  steamed  off,  and, 
and " 

"And  here  we  are.  And  I  owe  you  a  life  again. 
Master  Dick.  \'ery  good.  No,  I  won't  say  a  word 
more,  save  that  you  tackled  the  task  well.  It  was  an 
ugly  position  and  you  seem  to  have  chosen  the  only  way 
out.  I'm  glad,  too,  that  Meinheer  put  a  spoke  in  their 
wheel.  Now  do  me  the  favour  of  dressing  these 
wounds  again,  and  then  we  will  breakfast.  Get  the 
bandages  and  a  looking-glass,  for  then  I  shall  be  able 


78       With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

to  see  the  hurts  myself,  and  give  an  opinion.  You  see, 
I  am  a  bit  of  a  surgeon." 

At  this  moment  the  blanket  beneath  which  the  ample 
figure  of  the  Dutchman  was  shrouded  stirred  and  was 
thrown  back,  and  very  soon,  yawning  and  stretching 
his  arms,  Meinheer  came  along  the  deck.  By  then 
Dick  had  the  bandages  and  fresh  dressings,  as  well  as 
a  bowl  of  water,  drawn  from  the  river,  and  some  clean 
linen  to  act  as  a  sponge.  How  different,  how  light- 
hearted  he  looked,  for,  thanks  to  his  chat  with  Mr. 
Pepson,  and  to  the  other's  common  sense,  all  his  wor- 
ries were  dispelled,  and  he  saw  things  with  an  eye 
which  was  not  jaundiced.  He  had,  in  fact,  reached 
the  stage  at  which  others  in  a  similar  position  had  ar- 
rived before.  He  could  see  that  killing  was  not  a  joy- 
ous trade,  that  no  ordinary  human  being  lightly  under- 
took it,  and  only  when  circumstances  made  it  impera- 
tive that  he  should  act  so  as  to  protect  his  own  life  and 
that  of  his  friend.  Then  there  was  no  blame  to  be 
attached  to  the  one  who  had  shed  the  blood  of  his  fel- 
low, so  long  as  he  was  not  a  wanton  aggressor. 

''Here  we  are,"  he  called  out  as  he  came  along. 
"Good  day,  Meinheer.  Hold  the  bowl,  please,  while 
I  get  the  bandages  undone.  Ah,  here's  the  pin.  Now, 
sit  up,  sir.     That's  right.     We'll  have  it  done  in  a 

jiffy." 

Very  carefully  and  skilfully  he  unwrapped  the 
bandages,  and  presently  the  dressing  was  removed 
from  the  shoulder.  Mr.  Pepson  lifted  the  glass,  ar- 
ranged it  so  that  he  could  obtain  a  clear  view,  and  then 
grunted. 

"Humph!"   he   said,    with   one   of   his   inscrutable 


A  Question  of  Importance      79 

smiles.  "A  mere  scratch.  Take  the  probe.  Dick.  Xow 
dip  it  into  that  other  bowl  which  has  the  carboHc  in^  it. 
That's  the  way.  Gently  put  it  into  the  wound.  No. 
Don't  be  nervous.  I'll  soon  shout  if  it  hurts.  Press 
gently  towards  the  other  place  where  the  bullet  came 
out.  Hah  !  A  mere  flesh  wound,  karely  an  inch  deep. 
Not  even  that.  I'm  lucky !  The  shoulder  is  scarcely 
stiff,  and  a  little  rest  in  a  sling  will  put  it  right  in  a 
week.  A  schoolboy  would  laugh  at  it.  Put  on  fresh 
dressings  and  we'll  inspect  the  head.  Lucky  that  Pm 
such  a  surgeon!" 

He  was  as  cheery  as  possible,  and  thanks  to  his 
lightheartedness  his  friends,  who  had  been  looking  on 
and  helping  in  the  task  with  some  misgivings,  began 
to  feel  that  their  comrade  was,  after  all.  not  so  badly 
hurt. 

"I  tell  you  that  it  was  only  the  crack  on  my  skull 
that  mattered,"  persisted  Mr.  Pepson.  "The  bullet 
slipped  through  my  shoulder,  a  mere  wound  of  the 
cuticle,  and  then  happened  to  glance  against  my  scalp 
and  skull.  A  man  can't  stand  that.  It  knocks  him 
stupid.  That's  why  I  fell,  and  that's  why  our  young 
friend  had  to  help  me.  But  it  doesn't  explain  why  he 
— a  mere  youngster — pulled  me  through  so  well,  and 
why  he  stuck  to  me  when  many  another  would  have 
bolted  to  save  his  own  skin.  Heh?  What  did  you 
say,  Meinheer?" 

"Zat  we  hab  a  drasure.  Zat  Meinheer  Dick  will  Ije 
a  gread  man  one  of  zese  days.  When  he  is  big  like 
me,  when  he  has  grown  fine  and  dall,  and.  and — ah. 
yes,  sdoud,  you  call  him ;  yes,  when  he  is  sdoud,  then 
he  will  be  one  gread,  fine  man.     And  he  is  brave! 


8o      With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

Yes,  I  see  zad  with  half  one  eye,  for  a  brave  man  knows 
when  he  meeds  one  of  ze  same." 

"Quite  so,  Meinheer,"  answered  Mr.  Pepson,  dryly. 
"Which  reminds  me.  Dick  says  that  you  fired  in  the 
nick  of  time,  and  turned  the  tide  of  the  battle.  It  was 
a  good  shot.  You  did  well,  and  Johnnie  also,  to  bring 
up  the  launch  just  then.  But  stand  aside  a  little  and 
give  me  the  glass.  Hah !  Looks  nasty,  doesn't  it, 
Dick,"  he  went  on,  as  the  wound  on  his  scalp  was 
exposed,  and  he  noticed  our  hero  wince  and  turn  a 
little  pale  at  the  sight.  "Come,  come !  Looks  are  the 
worst  part  of  it.  Bathe  the  wound  and  cover  it  again. 
An  Irishman  would  not  give  it  a  second  thought.  I 
haven't  even  a  headache." 

He  rose  to  his  feet  when  the  dressing  was  completed, 
and  walked  up  and  down  the  deck,  looking  perhaps  a 
little  more  sallow  than  usual.  But  his  spirits  were  not 
in  the  least  damped  or  downcast.  Indeed,  his  two  com- 
panions had  yet  to  learn  that  their  leader  was,  in  his 
quiet  way,  a  remarkable  man.  As  hard  as  nails,  as 
Dick  had  already  observed,  cool  and  courageous,  and 
possessed  of  a  dogged  nature  which  defied  the  utmost 
fatigue,  which  laughed,  or  rather  smiled  only,  at  dan- 
ger, and  which  made  light  of  any  wound.  Meanwhile, 
Dick  and  Johnnie  were  engaged  at  the  furnace  door, 
and  presently  the  aroma  of  coffee  came  to  the  nostrils 
of  the  leader  and  the  Dutchman,  causing  the  latter  to 
turn  an  eager  and  expectant  gaze  in  that  direction. 

"By  Jobe !"  he  cried,  "bud  zad  is  a  scend  zad  is  goot, 
yes,  ver  goot.     Whad  shall  we  ead  zis  day  ?" 

His  question  was  answered  almost  at  once,  for 
Johnnie  came  along  the  deck  bearing  a  steaming  dish, 


A  Qiicstion  of  Importance      8i 

Dick  K>llo\\  ing  with  the  coffee  and  biscuit.  The  news- 
paper was  again  spread  on  the  roof  of  the  cabin,  and 
all  set  to  work  with  eagerness. 

"And  now  for  future  movements.  We  are  a  day's 
journey  from  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  three  from 
the  mine,"  said  Mr.  Pepson.  "The  question  is  whether 
we  should  push  on  alone  as  we  are,  or  whether  we 
should  return.  There  is  no  doubt  that  all  our  Fanti 
men  were  in  league  with  these  robbers,  and  left  us  at 
the  first  opportunity." 

"And  would  do  the  same  again."  Dick  ventured. 
"If  we  returned  for  a  second  crew,  who  is  to  guarantee 
that  they  will  not  behave  in  a  similar  manner?" 

"That  is  the  very  point.  We  should  run  that  dan- 
ger. What  are  your  views  about  this  attack  during  the 
night?" 

He  swung  round  on  his  elbow  and  looked  keenly  at 
our  hero. 

"You  saw  them,"  he  said.  "This  precious  rascal 
nearly  shot  you.  How  much  has  he  had  to  do  with 
the  matter?" 

"More  than  any  one.  I  think,"  was  Dick's  answer. 
"I  believe  him  to  be  a  thorough  rogue,  and  in  league 
with  the  Ashantis.  Inquiries  which  I  made  at  Cape 
Coast  Castle  convinced  me  that  he  had  been  engaged 
on  many  occasions  in  running  guns  and  ammunition 
to  the  coast,  and  sending  them  up-country.  Well,  we 
have  heard  that  there  is  trouble  brewing.  The  natives 
at  Elmina  are  in  almost  open  insurrection.  Murders 
have  been  committed  under  the  eyes  of  the  garrison, 
and  a  few  white  men  carried  off.  In  addition,  there 
are  tidings  that  parties  of  Ashanti  warriors  are  in  the 


82       With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

neighborliood  of  the  Pra.  It  is  my  opinion  that  this 
James  Langdon  is  their  spy,  that  he  is  watching  for 
them  and  sending  news  of  the  doings  at  Ehnina  and 
Cape  Coast  Castle  to  King  Koffee.  That  would  have 
brought  him  tidings  of  our  expedition,  for  all  in  El- 
mina  and  along  the  coast  knew  of  our  intentions " 

"While  the  king  of  the  Ashantis  had  given  us  the 
concession,  and  had  promised  that  we  should  be  pro- 
tected," interposed  Mr.  Pepson.  "Not  that  I  will  trust 
his  sable  majesty's  word.  The  best  protection  that  we 
can  have  will  be  our  rifles.  But  I  interrupted.  You 
think ?" 

"That  this  James  Langdon  is  a  spy,  and  that  while 
engaged  in  that  work  he  has  time  to  see  to  other  mat- 
ters. The  cargo  we  carry  is  valuable.  If  he  could 
ha^'e  taken  the  boais  the  expedition  would  have  been 
ruined,  and  we  should  have  had  to  return.  Then,  too, 
we  do  not  know  how  much  more  ambitious  the  scheme 
of  last  night's  attack  may  have  been.  They  may  have 
arranged  to  steal  the  boats  and  make  sure  of  their 
prize,  then  to  return  and  cut  our  throats.  There  were 
sufficient  of  them,  and  I  fancy  that  what  James  Lang- 
don would  willingly  do,  the  others  would  also  carry 
out." 

"Precisely.  They  would  hack  us  all  to  pieces. 
Never  you  hesitate  again  to  shoot,  my  lad.  Where 
such  rascals  have  to  be  dealt  with  it  is  as  well  to  press 
a  trigger  without  delay,  remembering  that  the  man 
who  hesitates  very  often  is  killed  before  he  has  another 
chance.  And  you  think  that  this  ruffian  has  been  on 
the  lookout  for  us,  and  that  we  are  not  only  fortunate 
in  having  our  goods  secure,  but  also  in  having  our 


A  Qiiestion  of  Importance      83 

lives?  I  believe  it.  I  think  the  fellow  would  willing- 
ly have  had  a  little  private  revenge  with  his  booty. 
He  has  his  knife  in  you,  Dick,  because  you  were  the 
first  to  discover  him,  and  he  will  not  be  more  friendly 
disposed  to  us.  for  we  are  whites,  and  he  is  an  outcast. 
To  return  to  the  subject  of  Elmina.  I  heard  about 
the  natives.     Perhaps  Meinheer  can  tell  us  more." 

"Zey  are  pigs.  I  dell  you.  Mein  word!  Bud  do 
you  know  zis,  mine  ver  good  friend?  Zese  blacks 
were  once  servands.  Zey  would  run,  and  quick,  when 
ze  order  was  give.  Now — now  zere  is  no  ordering 
zem.  Zed  do  nod  move.  Zey  glare  ad  me.  ad  me, 
Meinheer  \^an  Somering.  Zey  used  to  sdand  and 
shake,  so" — the  burly  Dutchman  let  his  knees  knock 
together,  while  he  trembled  till  his  fat  cheeks  quivered 
— "ver  good,  now  zey  laugh,  yes  zey  laugh  and  nm 
away." 

"All  of  which  points  to  disaffection  and  probable 
mutiny."  said  Mr.  Pepson.  "Then  it  is  clear  that  a 
second  crew  from  Elmina  would  be  worse  than  useless. 
We  shall  have  dangers  to  face.  We  can  well  do  that 
alone." 

"While  I  am  sure  that  we  can  manage  the  launch 
and  the  boats,  particularly  if  we  tie  up  before  it  is  dark, 
and  then  change  our  position  once  the  night  has  fal- 
len." 

"A  brilliant  idea.  Dick,  and  we  will  carry  it  out. 
Once  at  the  stockade  I  shall  have  no  fear,  for  the  men 
are  Ashanti  gold-diggers,  who  are  not  much  given  to 
fighting.  There  are  a  dozen  of  them,  and  I  think 
their  loyalty  can  be  controlled  by  the  prospect  of  gold. 
You  see,  they  are  paid  a  percentage  of  what  they  re- 


84      With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

cover  from  the  soil.  Yes,  we  will  push  on  up-stream 
and  avoid  another  attack.  If  there  is  a  moon  again 
we  will  keep  on  during  the  night.  Now  about  those 
fellows  over  there.  We  must  go  across  and  see  how 
many  are  killed,  and  if  any  are  still  living.  Meinheer, 
what  do  you  say?" 

The  Dutchman  did  not  reply  hastily,  for  he  was  con- 
sidering the  danger  of  such  an  expedition.  However, 
in  his  heart  of  hearts,  Meinheer  was  a  humane  man 
when  his  fears  were  quieted,  and  he  argued  that  here 
there  could  be  no  danger. 

"Good.  We  will  go,  Meinheer,"  he  said.  "Ze 
sooner  ze  bedder." 

"And  as  I  am  the  lightest  and  perhaps  the  most 
active,  I  will  land,"  added  Dick.  "Then,  in  case  of 
an  attack,  you  two  can  cover  me  with  your  rifles. 
There  is  no  trusting  these  rascals,  particularly  when 
James  Langdon  commands  them." 

A  few  minutes  later  the  remains  of  the  breakfast 
had  been  cleared  away,  and  while  the  trio  smoked  their 
pipes  and  chatted,  Johimie  stoked  the  furnace,  throw- 
ing coal  upon  it  till  a  column  of  smoke  issued  from  the 
funnel.  Soon  the  hiss  of  steam  from  the  escape  told 
that  the  launch  was  ready  for  a  move,  and  at  once  Mr. 
Pepson  stepped  to  the  tiller. 

"We'll  leave  our  boats  anchored  over  here,"  he  said, 
"for  it  would  never  do  to  have  them  over  on  the  far 
shore  and  run  the  risk  of  attack.  In  the  confusion,  if 
there  were  need  to  escape,  they  would  hamper  us,  and 
would  perhaps  be  lost.  Make  them  fast  together,  Dick, 
and  we'll  leave  Johnnie  in  charge." 

Another  two  minutes  saw  the  launch  steaming  away 


A  Qiiestion  ot  Importance      85 

from  beneiuh  the  Irces  uii  the  eastern  side  of  the  I'ra, 
and  presently  her  nose  was  pusliing  its  way  through 
the  reeds  and  oziers  which  cropped  up  here  and  there 
on  the  far  side. 

Mr.  Pepson  still  hold  the  tiller,  a  rifle  beside  him, 
and  a  cigar  between  his  Iii)S.     The  bulky  form  of  the 
Dutchman  was  stretched  out  on  the  deck  behind  the 
tiny  cabin.     His  ritle  was  at  his  shoulder,  and  he  sur- 
veyed the  jungle  eagerly,  treating  every  dark  patch 
and  shadow  to  a  fierce  scowl  which  boded  ill  for  the 
man  who  might  be  lurking  there.     His  finger  on  such 
occasions  would  go  to  the  trigger  of  his  snider  till 
Dick  fi(,lgeted  and  felt  uncomfortable,  for  he  was  not 
far  from  the  line  of  fire.     He  lay  in  the  bows,  a  light 
bamboo  in  his  hands,  with  which  he  every  now  and 
again  sounded  the  bed  of  the  river  to  make  sure  that 
there  was  suiiicient  water.     A   few  minutes'   gliding 
along  in  the  shadows  brought  them  to  the  spot  where 
the  action  of  the  previous  night  had  taken  place,  a  spot 
instantly  recognized  by  the  figures  lying  alx)ut  it.     For 
stretched  in  the  sun  were  the  \ictinis  of  Dick's  fire,  as 
yet  undiscovered  by  the  river  alligators.     Dick  shud- 
dered, and  transferred  his  gaze  to  the  bush.     Then, 
remembering  Mr.    Pepson's  words,   he  looked  again. 
One  poor  wretch  lay  face  down  in  the  water,  his  body 
already  almost  covered  with  drifting  mud.  while  his 
feet  protruded  on  to  the  land.     Close  to  him   lay  a 
second,  still  and  dark,  his  limbs  stretched  to  their  full- 
est extent,  while  some  paces  away  were  three  more  of 
the  attackers,  all  stark  and  dead. 

"The  reward  of  rascality."  cried  Mr.  Pepson.     "A 
horrid  sight,  my  friends ;  but  then  we  might  have  been 


86       With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

in  their  place,  and  war  and  battles  are  always  horrid. 
How's  the  depth,  Dick?     Can  you  get  ashore?" 

For  answer  our  hero  tried  the  sounding  wdth  his 
stick  again,  and  then  stood  up.  Taking  his  rifle  he 
dropped  lightly  into  the  water  and  waded  ashore.  Then 
he  went  to  the  figures  lying  atout.  They  were  all  un- 
doubtedly dead,  and  a  glance  satisfied  him  of  that  fact. 
At  once  he  went  on  towards  the  bush,  which  at  this 
point  receded  somewhat  from  the  river,  and  presently 
something  attracted  his  eye.  It  was  a  path  leading 
into  the  forest,  a  path  freshly  broken  and  trodden,  the 
one,  no  doubt,  by  which  the  robbers  had  fled. 

"Leave  it,"  shouted  Mr.  Pepson.  "You  w-ould  be 
in  the  middle  of  the  jungle,  where  all  is  dark,  and  we 
could  not  help  you.  Come  back.  We  have  learned  all 
that  we  desired.  There  are  five  killed  here,  and  one 
whom  you  shot  in  the  first  boat.  But  one  moment. 
Do  any  of  these  fellow's  belong  to  our  runaw^ay  crew?" 

Dick  retraced  his  steps  slowly,  and  reluctantly  looked 
at  the  bodies  again.  There  was  not  the  slightest  doubt 
that  they  were  the  very  men  who  had  come  from  El- 
mina — all,  in  fact,  save  one,  whose  face  was  strange. 

"Then  James  Langdon  had  others  with  him," 
thought  Dick.  "Somehow,  I  don't  know  why,  I  feel 
misgivings  about  that  man.  His  memory  haunts  me. 
What  if  he  attacked  us  again!" 

What  if  our  hero  had  known  that  the  rufiian  whose 
name  he  mentioned  was  at  that  very  moment  within 
little  more  than  a  stone's-throw !  That  James  Lang- 
don had  come  down  to  the  river-bank  that  morning, 
having  left  his  lair  in  the  forest  just  as  the  launch 
steamed  away   from  her  anchorage  of  the  previous 


A  Qiiestion  of  Importance      87 

night !  That  he  had  watched  with  the  eagerness  and 
stealth  of  a  fox,  and  had  riibted  his  hands  with  deh'ght 
as  he  saw  the  son  of  the  master  he  had  robbed  drop 
into  the  water!  For  this  half-caste  forgot  that  he 
himself  was  to  blame  for  the  existence  which  he  now 
led.  for  the  discomforts  which  he  had  now  to  put  up 
with.     He  placed  all  the  blame  on  Dick's  shoulders. 

'There  he  is!"  he  orrowled.  as  Dick  waded  towards 
the  shore.  "But  for  his  coming  to  the  coast  I  should 
have  been  able  to  remain  there,  still  unsuspected,  and 
there,  living  in  a  good  house,  I  could  still  have  done 
this  work  for  King  Koffee.  And  I  could  have  gained 
riches  more  quickly.  But  we  shall  see.  Ah!  he  is 
ashore.  If  he  steps  nearer  I  will  shoot  him  like  a 
bird." 

He  crouched  in  the  underwood,  while  his  hand  went 
to  the  pouch  at  his  waist.  A  growl  of  anger  and  dis- 
gust escaped  him.  for  the  revolver  which  he  had  car- 
ried was  not  there.  He  had  no  weapon  but  a  large 
sheath-knife,  which  he  carried  at  his  hip. 

"It  will  do  as  well,  and  it  is  silent,"  he  said  to  him- 
self. "He  is  coming.  The  young  fool  will  walk  into 
the  trap,  and  this  time  I  will  not  be  flurried.  He  shall 
come  on  without  a  suspicion,  and  when  he  has  passed 
me  I  will  leap  on  his  back  and  there  will  be  an  end  of 
the  matter." 

His  ferrety  eyes  gleamed  with  malice.  He  spat  on 
the  hand  which  was  to  hold  the  knife,  and  then  gripped 
it  with  all  his  strength.  His  limbs  arranged  them- 
selves till  the  man  was  poised  on  the  tips  of  his  toes 
and  fingers,  till  he  sat  crouched  in  a  position  to  spring 
upon  the  back  of  his  unsuspecting  foe.     Then  came  the 


88       With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

voice  of  the  leader.  Dick  stared  into  the  jungle  till 
the  half-caste  thought  he  must  be  seen.  Then  he  re- 
tired to  the  launch,  inspected  the  faces  of  the  slain, 
and  went  aboard. 

"My  luck !"  growled  James  Langdon.  "But  the 
chance  will  come  again.  Oh,  yes,  my  friend,  Dick 
Stapleton,  you  will  be  sorry  one  of  these  days.  As 
for  the  men  who  have  engaged  you  as  their  agent,  they 
are  fools.  It  would  be  better  for  them  if  they  had 
never  met  you." 

He  glared  at  the  launch  and  her  passengers  as  she 
steamed  away,  and  still  continued  to  stare  at  them  till 
they  reached  the  far  side  of  the  Pra ;  for  a  thought  had 
struck  this  ruffian. 

"Why  not  ?"  he  asked  himself.  "They  will  be  alone. 
There  will  be  gold  in  plenty.  Why  should  I  not  have 
my  share  of  that  or  take  all  that  they  possess?  If  I 
have  failed  this  time  I  shall  succeed  at  the  next  at- 
tempt." 

The  thought  pleased  him  immensely,  for  his  face 
lightened,  the  scowl  left  his  forehead,  and  for  a  moment 
James  Langdon  looked  as  if  he  were  not  the  villain  he 
had  proved  himself  to  be.  But  he  would  not  have  de- 
ceived Dick  Stapleton.  Had  our  hero  been  able  to  see 
him  there  in  the  bush,  he  would  have  suspected  the 
mischief  that  was  brewing,  and  the  misgivings  which 
now  filled  his  mind  would  have  been  vastly  increased. 
As  it  was,  he  and  his  friends  went  on  their  way  up  the 
river,  and  their  adventure  of  the  night  almost 
forgotten  in  the  passing  scenes,  and  in  anticipation  of 
the  pleasures  before  them. 


CHAPTER  VI 
Forest  Dangers 

Two  days  passed  without  event  as  the  steam  launch 
made  her  way  up  tlie  river  Pra.  and  each  day  the 
stream  narrowed.  Indeed,  the  expedition  was  ap- 
proaching the  bifurcation  of  the  river,  and  so  far  had 
not  come  upon  the  tributary  which  they  were  to  ascend. 

"\\  e  shall  know  it  by  two  enormous  cotton  trees, 
one  of  which  has  fallen  against  the  other,"  sang  out 
Mr.  Pepson  that  evening,  as  the  anchor  was  dropped, 
and  the  trio  sat  down  to  their  meal.  "Remember,  two 
cotton  trees,  one  of  which  is  supported  by  its  fellow. 
Is  that  not  the  description,  ]Meinheer?" 

"Good.  Id  is  zad.  I  have  never  seen  him. 
bud  I  know.  Mcinheer  Dick  shall  hear  how  I  come 
do  find  zis  place.  A  native  run  away  to  Elmina  and 
draw  a  map  in  ze  sand  wiz  his  doe.  He  said,  'Over 
zere.  plendy  of  gold,  and  mines  close  do  ze  riber.'  " 

"And  you  brought  the  tale  to  me,"  interrupted  Mr. 
Pepson,  "with  the  result  that  we  sent  an  agent,  and 
after  getting  his  report  we  obtained  a  concession,  and 
set  native  gold-diggers  to  work.  That's  the  secret  of 
this  mine.  Dick.  It's  so  close  to  the  river  that  one  can 
take  machinery  there,  and  the  winding  gear  we  have 

89 


90       With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

brought,  though  small,  will  be  sufficient  to  tell  us 
whether  it  is  worth  our  while  to  bring  more.  Transport 
is  the  main  difficulty  in  this  country,  and  if  we  have  a 
river,  why " 

"Zere  is  moch  gold  for  all,"  burst  in  Meinheer. 
"Wid  a  riber  we  can  reach  ze  mine  and  can  dake  our 
goods.  Zen  ze  ground  is  clear.  Id  is  rocky  soil,  and 
ze  fever  is  nod  gread." 

"Which  reminds  me.  We  must  take  precautions," 
said  Mr.  Pepson.  "I  have  brought  ample  supplies  of 
quinine,  and  we  must  take  a  few  grains  every  day. 
It  is  the  only  thing  for  an  Englishman,  or  for  any 
white  man.  But  that  is  not  the  only  precaution  we 
must  take  against  malaria.  I  have  not  lived  in  Sierra 
Leone  all  these  years,  nor  travelled  in  many  another 
fever-haunted  country,  without  learning  what  to  avoid. 
The  cause  of  the  fever  is  too  doubtful  for  me  to  at- 
tempt to  make  a  statement,  but  supposing  it  is  the 
water,  as  the  doctors  say,  then  we  must  avoid  unboiled 
or  unfiltered  water;  and  boiled  water  is  certainly  the 
safest.  We  must  sleep  off  the  ground,  clear  of  the 
mists,  and  must  choose  the  highest  spot.  If  the  stock- 
ade is  well  posted,  all  will  be  right.  If  not,  we  will 
rebuild  it.  Then  there  are  the  mosquitoes.  Some,  a 
few  only,  whose  numbers  are  steadily  growing,  say 
that  these  insects  convey  the  germ  of  malaria.*  Very 
good.  We  will  keep  them  away  as  far  as  possible  by 
the  use  of  curtains  at  night.  Last  of  all,  the  man  who 
exercises  in  the  cool  of  the  morning  and  evening,  who 
avoids  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun  at  midday,  and  who 
eats  and  drinks  lightly,  stands  a  far  better  chance  than 
*  This  is  now  an  accepted  fact. 


Forest  Dangers  9  i 

does  the  one  who  is  lazy,  and  who  is  apt  to  indulge  too 
much.  Pass  the  biscuit,  Dick,  and  light  up  if  you  care 
to  do  so,  Meinheer," 

According  to  their  usual  custom,  a  custom  suggested 
by  Dick,  the  launch  kept  her  steam  in  till  darkness  had 
fallen,  and  then,  as  soon  as  the  anchor  had  been  hoisted, 
she  ran  farther  up  the  river,  and  put  over  to  the  oppo- 
site shore.  That  done,  she  was  anchored  again,  fires 
were  banked,  and  the  party  settled  for  the  night,  the 
watch  being  taken  in  turn.  On  the  following  day, 
after  half  an  hour's  run,  ^leinheer  Van  Somering  gave 
vent  to  a  shout  of  delight. 

"Mein  friends !"  he  cried,  as  he  danced  on  the  deck 
till  the  steamer  heeled.  ''Zose  are  ze  drees.  Look  you. 
Two,  and  one  lies  on  ze  ozer.  Ah,  yes,  Meinheeren, 
and  ze  riber  is  zere  also.  We  are  proud  men 
do-day !" 

"We  are  lucky,  you  mean,"  answered  Mr.  Pepson. 
"Who  ever  heard  of  an  expedition  setting  ofif  to  find  a 
tributary  which  runs  into  a  river  of  this  size  some 
days'  journey  from  its  outlet,  a  tributary  the  mouth  of 
which  is  hidden  almost  by  jungle,  and  is  marked  only 
by  two  cotton  trees.  However,  there  it  is,  and  now 
we  are  but  a  few  miles  from  the  landing-stage.  Let's 
push  on.  It's  hot  and  close  here,  and  the  sky  is  over- 
cast." 

They  turned  the  nose  of  the  launch  for  the  narrow 
tributary,  and  steamed  slowly  into  it,  for  there  was  no 
saying  when  they  might  encounter  a  sunken  bough 
or  some  other  obstacle.  On  either  hand  now  were 
trees,  the  dense  forest,  while  at  the  base  of  this  forest 
grew  a  network  of  trailing  plants.     Every  variety  of 


92       With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

vine  was  there,  and  amongst  them  the  one  which  pro- 
duces rubher.  Yams  were  seen  in  abundance,  while 
orchids  and  other  plants  hung  from  the  trees  in  fes- 
toons, their  blooms  illuminating  many  a  dull  patch. 
The  banks  were  composed  of  slimy  ooze  and  mud,  and 
from  these,  as  the  boats  trailed  past,  an  occasional 
loathsome  form  was  seen  to  waddle,  and  an  alligator 
splashed  into  the  water. 

"Gentlemen  to  whom  it  is  well  to  give  the  right  of 
way,"  laughed  the  leader.  "They  will  do  us  no  harm, 
but  I  should  be  fearful  if  we  were  to  be  upset.  Now, 
how  far  do  we  steam?" 

"Five  or  six  mile,  Meinheer.  You  will  know  when 
we  reach  ze  road,  for  zere  is  a  liddle  place  to  land.  Oh 
yes,  zere  is  no  difficuldy." 

"Then  the  sooner  we  reach  the  place  the  better," 
exclaimed  Mr.  Pepson.  "I  don't  like  the  look  of  the 
weather.  This  is  hardly  the  season  for  rains,  but  it 
looks  as  if  we  were  in  for  a  torrent." 

An  hour  later  a  tiny  staging  was  seen  on  the  left 
bank  of  the  stream,  for  the  river  was  little  more  now. 
Indeed,  in  most  places,  the  trees  actually  met  over- 
head, while  the  dense  foliage  made  the  place  so  dark 
that  dusk  might  have  been  falling.  But  in  spite  of  the 
shelter  obtained  from  the  rays  of  the  sun,  the  heat  was 
intense.  At  the  point  where  the  staging  appeared  there 
was  a  break  in  the  trees,  and,  as  they  drew  opposite  it, 
they  saw  that  it  had  been  erected  at  a  point  where 
another  stream,  a  tiny  tributary,  emerged  from  the 
forest.  Along  its  bank  there  was  a  path,  while  its 
mouth  seemed  to  have  been  widened. 

"All  of  which  shows  that  we  have  a  thoughtful 


Forest  Dangers  93 


agent,"  said  Mr.   Pepson.  as  he  put  the  hehn  over. 
"Back  her,  Johnnie.     Steady.     Ahead  a  httle." 

\'ery  easily  and  gently  the  four  craft  were  brought 
into  the  tributary,  their  painters  being  made  fast  to  the 
trees  which  came  close  to  the  bank.  Then  the  party 
landed  and  looked  about  them. 

"Zis  is  hod.  mein  friends,"  grunted  the  Dutchman, 
as  he  stood  panting  in  his  shirt  sleeves.  "I  do  nod 
wish  for  zis  walk  in  ze  foresd." 

"While  I  shall  be  glad  to  get  it  over,"  said  Mr.  Pep- 
son,  with  emphasis,  casting  an  eye  overhead  as  he  did 
so.  "I  tell  you  we  are  in  for  a  storm,  and  that  is 
hardly  a  pleasant  prospect  in  such  a  place." 

Dick  wondered  why,  for  the  mass  of  the  forest  which 
hemmed  them  in  on  every  side  seemed  ample  to  protect 
them  from  any  harm  which  might  come  from  a  storm. 
But  no  doubt  his  leader  had  had  exj^erience  and  knew, 
and  at  his  words  he  slung  his  rifle,  took  a  bag  of 
cartridges,  and  prepared  to  march.  Johnnie,  too.  leapt 
to  the  shore,  for  there  was  no  longer  any  need  to  leave 
a  guard,  and  within  a  few^  minutes  the  party  was 
en  route  for  the  gold-mine. 

Almost  for  the  first  time  in  his  experience,  Dick 
marched  by  a  forest  road,  a  track  cut  through  the 
heart  of  the  jungle,  and  he  began  to  realize  what  were 
the  difficulties  of  transport  in  this  remarkable  countr}'. 
For  the  path  was  barely  wide  enough  to  admit  one 
single  man.  and  the  great  girth  of  the  Dutchman  often 
brought  him  into  dilticulties.  It  bore  signs  of  having 
been  cut  some  weeks  before,  for  the  marks  of  knives 
and  hatchets  were  often  to  be  seen.  But  in  spite  of 
the  care  taken  in  clearing  it.  parts  were  already  prac- 


94       With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

tically  impassable;  for  vines  and  other  creepers  had 
grown  across  it.  However,  a  few  sweeps  from  Mr. 
Pepson's  sword  cut  them  clear,  and  the  party  were 
able  to  advance.  They  wound  here  and  there,  fol- 
lowing the  track,  which  deviated  so  as  to  avoid  large 
trees  and  very  thick  brush.  At  times  they  sank  to  their 
knees  in  marsh  land,  while  on  several  occasions  they 
leaped  or  waded  across  streams  quietly  trickling 
through  the  jungle.  It  was  all  very  new  and  very 
strange,  and  our  hero  could  have  enjoyed  it  more  had 
it  not  been  for  the  heat.  It  was  intensely  hot  and 
muggy.  Not  a  leaf  stirred,  and  not  a  sound  came  to 
them  save  the  creak  of  an  occasional  bough,  and  the 
crack  of  twigs  wdiich  lay  underfoot.  Bird  and  beast 
life  seemed  to  have  departed.  Mr,  Pepson  shook  his 
head  and  hurried  on. 

"Better  reach  the  open  as  soon  as  we  can,"  he  said. 
"This  is  no  place  for  a  man  once  the  storm  breaks. 
Listen !     It  is  coming." 

The  tops  of  the  trees  moved  while  the  tangle  of 
leaves  rustled.  Dick  thought  he  heard  an  indefinite 
sound,  a  distant  hum,  gradually  rising  in  intensity, 
but  as  yet  it  was  so  slight  that  he  was  uncertain.  He 
halted  as  Mr.  Pepson  turned  round  and  mopped  the 
perspiration  from  his  face.  Then,  as  he  replaced  his 
handkerchief,  he  looked  at  his  chief  and  started  back. 
For  the  leader  of  the  expedition,  usually  so  calm  and 
self-possessed,  looked  as  nearly  terrified  as  Dick 
imagined  it  would  be  possible  for  him  to  be.  He 
stared  overhead,  and  stood  there  listening  acutely. 

"You  hear  it?"  he  asked  anxiously.  "You  hear  a 
moaning  sound?" 


Forest  Dangers  95 

"I  fancy  I  did  a  minute  or  so  ago,  sir.  Wait.  Yes. 
There  it  is,  without  a  doubt,  and  it  is  louder." 

"Id  is  ze  wind,  mine  frien.  I  zink,"  gasped  Mein- 
heer,  seating  himself  on  a  fallen  log. 

"The  wind!  It  is  the  storm.  A  tornado!"  ex- 
claimed Mr.  Pepson.  ominously.  "I  tell  you  we  are 
in  the  greatest  danger,  and  that  we  must  act  if  we  wish 
to  be  secure.  Look  about  you,  and  find  a  spot  where 
there  are  verv  big  trees,  and  numbers  of  trunks  which 
have  fallen." 

He  went  on  all  fours  and  peered  into  the  jungle  and 
up  towards  the  summits  of  the  trees,  many  of  which 
towered  for  two  hundred  feet  overhead.     And  pres- 
ently, when  they  had  moved  on  a  few  yards,  Dick's 
hand  went  out  and  he  drew  his  leader's  attention  to  a 
part  which  seemed  to  meet  his  requirements.     A  glance 
seemed  to  satisfy  Mr.  Pepson,   for  in  an  instant  his 
sword  was  out  again,  and  he  began  to  hack  a  road  to 
the  spot  with  all  his  strength.     There  was  evidently  no 
time  for  explanation,  that  Dick  could  plainly  tell,  for 
the  distant  hum  had  now  risen  to  a  roar,  which  seemed 
much  nearer,  while  the  tops  of  the  trees  above  him 
rocked  and  strained  in  the  wind.     Then  they  were  still 
again  till  another  gust  caught  them.     Whatever  the 
danger  to  be  feared,  he  had  known  Mr.  Pepson  long 
enough  to  be  sure  that  it  must  be  great,  else  why  the 
haste,  why  so  much  anxiety  ?     Whipping  out  his  sword 
he  fell  to  beside  him,  and  together,  with  Meinheer  fol- 
lowing them,  his  coat  over  his  shoulder,  and  his  hand- 
kerchief mopping  the  perspiration  from  his  face,  they 
fought  their   way   through   the   jungle   till   they  had 
reached  the  spot  which  Dick  had  pointed  out.     And 


96      With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

here  Mr.  Pepson  threw  himself  exhausted  on  the 
ground,  gasping  with  his  exertions,  while  Dick  was 
glad  to  sit  down.  As  for  Johnnie,  he  crouched  at  the 
foot  of  a  giant  cotton  tree  and  cowered  there.  Dick 
could  see  the  whites  of  his  eyes,  and  noticed  that  he 
trembled. 

"Get  in  here,"  suddenly  shouted  Mr.  Pepson.  "The 
very  place !     It  may  shelter  us." 

He  sprang  to  his  feet,  and  forcing  his  way  through 
some  feet  of  the  tangle,  came  to  a  tree  of  somewhat 
smaller  dimensions  as  to  height,  but  of  enormous 
girth. 

Like  all  the  cotton  trees  in  the  forest  at  that  point, 
the  roots  of  this  leviathan  barely  did  more  than  pene- 
trate the  surface  of  the  ground,  for  it  was  there  that 
all  the  moisture  lay.  Below  was  a  hard  stratum  which 
offered  opposition,  and  as  a  result  the  roots  had  spread 
themselves  out  over  a  wide  area,  while  they  had  risen 
into  the  air  till  there  was  an  archway  of  large  dimen- 
sions beneath  the  tree.  Dick  had  seen  the  same  before, 
and  it  had  attracted  his  attention.  At  Mr.  Pepson's 
shout  he  tore  after  him,  and  presently  all  four  were 
stretched  under  the  arch.  Nor  were  they  a  minute  too 
soon,  for  if  there  had  been  a  roar  before,  the  noise  now 
was  deafening  and  positively  awe-inspiring.  The 
gusts  which  had  up  to  this  caught  the  tops  of  the  trees 
seemed  now  to  be  concentrated  into  one  enormous  blast. 
The  very  forest  shivered  and  trembled.  The  tree- 
tops  bent  and  the  trunks  groaned.  Then  the  storm 
burst  A  sheet  of  lightning  lit  up  the  sky  and  even 
penetrated  to  the  forest  depths.  The  roar  became  even 
greater,  till  the  volume  of  sound  was  positively  deafen- 


Forest  Dangers  97 

ing.  .And  how  the  trees  bent !  The  one  beneath  which 
the  party  lay  trembled  and  swayed.  As  Dick's  hand 
rested  on  one  of  the  giant  roots  he  could  feel  it  moving 
under  the  strain,  and  wondered  whether  the  huge  mass 
would  topple. 

Crash!  There  was  a  shaqD  sound  as  if  a  cannon  of 
small  calibre  had  been  fired,  and  a  mighty  tree  a  few 
yards  away,  fractured  some  feet  from  its  base,  came 
with  a  thud  to  the  ground.  Meinheer  hid  his  face  in 
his  hands  and  groaned,  while  Johnnie  rolled  on  the 
ground  in  terror. 

"That  was  what  I  feared,"  shouted  Mr.  Pepson,  now 
quite  calm.  ''There  will  be  many  more  before  the 
storm  is  ended.  But  I  fancy  we  are  safe.  They  will 
not  always  fall  so  close  to  us." 

Dick  looked  out  into  the  jungle,  his  face  calm  and 
grave,  though  in  his  heart  he  felt  terribly  afraid.  For 
this  was  something  against  which  one  could  not  battle. 
The  storm  would  have  its  way  whatever  man  might 
do,  and  to  stand  there  utterly  helpless,  was  trying. 
All  round  him  he  could  hear  tlie  crash  of  trees.  One 
fell  even  closer  than  the  first,  and  caused  him  to  step 
backward  in  alarm,  for  the  mighty  trunk  was  dropping 
directly  towards  him,  sheering  through  everything  that 
stood  in  its  way.  It  lopped  the  tops  from  half  a  dozen 
cotton  trees,  and  brought  two  more  crashing  through 
the  forest  with  it.  Then,  as  Dick  thought  that  he  and 
his  companions  must  be  destroyed,  its  branches  became 
entangled  in  those  of  the  tree  which  sheltered  them. 
Again  he  felt  the  vast  mass  sway.  The  trunk  actually 
gave  out  a  loud  report  as  if  it  had  cracked.  But  it 
was  a  veteran,  and,  thanks  to  its  huge  girth,  was  of 


98       With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

unusual  strength.  It  stood  its  ground,  and  when  Dick 
looked  again  there  was  the  falling  tree  held  up  in  mid- 
air, with  its  two  victims  with  it.  It  was  a  marvellous 
escape. 

"That  is  the  worst,  I  should  say,"  said  Mr.  Pepson, 
coolly.  **It  was  a  narrow  shave,  I  admit,  but  then  I 
was  expecting  trouble.  We  are  lucky,  I  can  tell  you, 
and  you  will  realize  the  fact  as  we  push  on  again.  Ah ! 
here  comes  the  rain.  I  fancy  we  may  congratulate 
ourselves." 

They  had  indeed  every  cause  to  be  thankful,  for 
their  escape  had  been  a  narrrow  one.  An  hour  later, 
when  they  emerged  from  the  friendly  shelter  of  the 
tree  and  struck  out  on  the  path  once  more,  all  realized 
this  more  fully.  For  hundreds  of  giants  had  fallen. 
Their  trunks  lay  in  every  direction,  many  fantastically 
supported  in  mid-air,  pillowed  on  the  branches  of  their 
fellows. 

"That  is  what  one  sees  all  along  the  coast,"  said 
Mr.  Pepson,  turning  his  head,  "and  I  am  told  that  some 
of  the  caravan  routes  which  pass  through  this  forest 
toward  the  interior  are  often  almost  completely  blocked 
by  fallen  trees.  It  is  the  weedy  youngsters  that  tumble. 
They  run  up  swiftly,  as  straight  as  a  rod,  till  they 
overtop  the  veterans.  Then  comes  a  gale,  and  owing 
to  the  nature  of  the  ground  and  the  little  hold  which 
their  roots  give  them,  they  topple  over.  We've  had  a 
lesson,  Dick.  Keep  out  of  forests  in  future  when  the 
wind  blows." 

A  little  later  the  party  emerged  into  the  open,  and 
were  delighted  to  find  that  there  was  a  very  wide  clear- 
ing, the  forest  standing  back  on  all  sides  for  more  th^n 


Forest  Dangers  99 

a  mile.     And  in  this  space  the  ground  rose  steeply,  till 
its  crest  blotted  out  the  view  beyond. 

"Rock."  said  Meinheer  Van  Somering,  with  a 
chuckle  of  delight.  "Dad  was  ze  report,  I  zink.  We 
were  told  dad  ze  mine  was  well  placed.  I  agree,  Mein- 
heer.  for  in  zis  coundry  where  zere  is  rock  zere  is 
gold." 

At  this  moment  a  shout  rang  out  in  the  silence,  and 
a  figure  appeared  on  the  crest  of  the  rock. 

"Our  Dutch  agent,"  said  Mr.  Pepson.  "He  is  com- 
ing down  to  us,  and  soon  we  shall  be  at  the  stockade." 
Indeed,  within  a  quarter  of  an  hour  the  agent  had 
joined  them,  making  his  way  down  the  steep  rocky  hill 
by  a  path  which  was  invisible  from  where  they  stood. 
"Mein  word !"  exclaimed  the  Dutchman,  as  he  stared 
at  his  agent  and  watched  his  agility  as  he  leaped  down 
the  steep  path.  "If  zat  is  ze  only  way  do  ze  stockade, 
we  shall  be  dead.  Yes,  I  tell  you,  we  shall  die,  for 
who  could  climb  such  a  blace?     Id  is  too  steeb." 

"And  happens  to  be  the  nearest  way,"  replied  Mr. 
Pepson,  reassuringly.  "Never  fear,  Meinheer,  there 
will  be  an  easier  way  down." 

That  the  agent  was  glad  to  see  some  white  men 
could  not  be  doubted,  for  he  rushed  toward  them  with 
a  shout,  and  commenced  to  greet  Meinheer  Van  Somer- 
ing volubly.  Then  he  was  introduced  to  the  others, 
and  shook  hands  with  an  eagerness  which  showed  that 
for  many  a  week  he  had  had  no  one  there  with  whom 
to  practise  the  art. 

"Glad  to  see  you,  gentlemen,"  he  cried,  in  excellent 
English.  "That  am  I,  for  it  is  dull  here.  When  you 
get  to  the  top  I  shall  show  you  why.     You  will  see  to 


loo    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

the  right  and  left  trees  in  one  dense  mass.  To  the 
north  and  south  there  is  the  same.  Nothing  but  trees, 
and  the  bkie  sky  overhead.  It  becomes  tiring.  But 
now  you  are  here  and  I  shah  have  company.  Come 
this  way.  We  can  go  by  the  path  which  I  have  just 
followed,  or  we  can  skirt  round  the  hill." 

They  elected  to  go  by  the  latter  path,  for  the  steep 
ascent  would  have  been  too  much  for  Meinheer.  After 
an  hour's  walk  they  found  themselves  on  the  far  side 
of  the  rocky  highland,  and  there  before  them  lay  the 
stockade,  high  up  on  the  side  of  the  hill,  and  within  an 
easy  rifle-shot  of  the  forest. 

"Trust  a  man  who  has  been  in  these  forests  before 
to  choose  the  right  spot,"  said  the  agent,  as  he  pointed 
it  out.  "This  is  the  windward  side,  and  the  stockade 
even  under  a  hot  sun  is  delightfully  cool.  There  is 
little  fever  here,  and  one  can  cope  with  it.  Mr.  Dick, 
you  need  have  no  fears  for  your  health.  The  loneli- 
ness is  the  only  thing  which  will  trouble  you." 

"I  have  been  thinking  about  that,"  answered  Dick, 
"and  I  fancy  I  shall  do  something  to  distract  my 
thoughts.  Work  in  the  mines  or  something  of  the 
sort.  Perhaps  help  to  improve  the  stockade  and  make 
it  stronger." 

The  agent  looked  at  him  in  surprise.  "Stronger!" 
he  exclaimed.     "And  why?" 

"Because  I  fancy  we  might  be  attacked." 

Our  hero  felt  almost  sure  that  there  would  be  an 
attempt,   for  he  had   not   forgotten  James   Langdon. 

"Attack!"  he  said  disdainfully.  "The  Ashantis  will 
not  harm  us.  They  hate  these  Fanti  men,  and  it  is 
they  against  whom  they  war.     They  are  out  now  with 


Forest  Dangers  i  o  i 

the  intention  of  fighting.  Trust  King  Koftee  to  keep 
them  away  from  us,  for  if  we  were  harmed,  what 
would  happen  to  the  payments  made  to  him?  As  to 
this  fellow,  James  Langdon,  I  fancy  I  have  met  him. 
You  need  not  fear  him,  for  he  will  never  come  so  far. 
If  he  is  in  the  service  of  the  king  of  the  Ashantis,  he 
will  be  on  the  far  bank  of  the  river  and  miles  from  here. 
No,  Mr.  Stapleton,  there  will  be  no  need  to  strengthen 
the  post." 

By  now  they  had  entered  the  stockade,  and  found  it 
to  be  composed  of  roughly  sawn  logs,  trimmed  with 
the  axe.  Here  and  there  a  small  interval  was  left  for 
rifles,  though  it  was  obvious  that  the  designer  of  the 
place  expected  no  trouble.  In  the  centre  was  a  log 
hut,  thatched  with  long  strips  of  bark,  which  were 
pegged  down  to  the  timbers  beneath.  The  windows 
were  unglazed,  but  rough  shutters  cut  from  packing 
boxes  were  provided. 

"Enter,  gentlemen,"  said  the  agent,  with  some  signs 
of  pride.  "You  find  yourselves  in  the  salon,  the  smok- 
ing-room, and  the  bedroom  of  this  house.  It  is  only 
a  rough  shanty,  sufficient  to  keep  out  the  heat  of 
the  sun,  and  the  rains,  when  they  come." 

"And  a  fine  example  of  your  work,"  exclaimed  ]\Ir. 
Pepson.  "Xow%  what  of  the  mines?  They  are  close 
at  hand?" 

For  answer  the  agent  led  the  way  out  of  the  stockade 
and  down  the  far  side  of  the  hill  till  the  party  came  to 
the  level  ground.  And  here  it  was  seen  that  a  stream 
flowed,  and  lost  itself  a  little  way  on  in  the  forest. 

"Everything  is  nicely  within  reach,"  said  the  agent. 
"You  will  find  that  the  men  work  in  couples,  and  as 


102    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

there  are  twelve  of  them,  there  are  six  shafts  open. 
We  will  go  to  them." 

They  ascended  a  small  rise  in  front  of  them,  and 
presently  saw  some  natives  working.  They  were  haul- 
ing up  wooden  buckets  from  the  mouths  of  narrow 
shafts  driven  into  the  grouiul,  and  were  depositing 
their  contents  in  a  larger  receptacle  close  at  hand.  At 
the  river-bank  Dick  noticed  a  number  of  troughs  of 
native  workmanship,  and  began  to  gather  the  method 
adopted  by  the  natives  in  their  mining. 

"It  is  all  very  primitive,"  said  the  agent,  "and  no 
doubt  we  do  not  abstract  all  the  gold  from  the  soil. 
A  large  part  gets  washed  away.  Still,  considering 
our  methods,  we  are  doing  well,  and  have  already  a 
good  store  of  pure  metal.  Look  into  one  of  the  shafts. 
Yes,  continue  to  look  till  your  eyes  become  accustomed 
to  the  darkness  down  there.  That  is  the  man  who  is 
working  in  the  tunnel.  You  can  just  see  his  back. 
He  will  call  out  when  his  bucket  is  filled,  and  his  friend 
up  here  will  haul  it  up.  It  is  slow,  but  sure,  and  in 
time  there  is  a  quantity  at  the  top.  If  the  man  below 
comes  to  harder  soil,  his  friend  goes  down  to  the  river 
and  w^ashes.  If  not.  he  hauls,  and  at  the  end  of  the 
day  the  two  wash  the  gold  from  the  soil  which  they 
have  gathered." 

"But  how  on  earth  does  the  man  get  down  ?"  asked 
Dick,  for  he  could  see  that  the  hauling  tackle  was  too 
weak  for  such  a  task. 

"That  again  is  simplicity  itself,"  was  the  reply. 
"You  see  that  the  shaft  is  barely  four  feet  across.  The 
man  carries  a  kind  of  narrow  spade  with  which  he  digs 
the  ground.     Well,  he  places  that  across  the  top  of  the 


Forest  Dangers  103 

shaft,  and  lowers  his  feet  till  they  come  to  a  niche  on 
one  wall.  There  it  is.  You  can  see  it  plainly.  With 
his  feet  secure  he  leans  back  till  his  shoulders  are 
against  the  far  side  of  the  shaft — in  fact,  till  he  is 
across  the  cutting  in  a  slanting  position.  Then  he  re- 
leases the  digger  and  lowers  it,  placing  it  in  a  similar 
position  across  the  shaft.  And  so  he  descends,  repeat- 
ing the  movement  to  the  bottom." 

"Primitive,  certainly,"  agreed  Mr.  Pepson.  "and  I 
think  it  can  be  improved  upon.  We  have  brought  hand- 
winding  gear  with  us.  and  they  will  alter  matters.  The 
fellow  below  can  lower  himself,  or  get  his  friend  to  do 
so  for  him.  Then  the  labour  of  raising  the  soil  will 
be  lightened.  That  reminds  me.  We  have  left  our 
launch  and  the  canoes  at  the  landing-stage.  What 
steps  can  we  take  to  get  our  goods  here?" 

"W'e  will  become  porters  to-morrow,"  was  the 
answer.  "These  Ashanti  fellows  are  good  tempered 
and  willing  if  taken  the  right  way.  and  you  will  find 
that  they  will  undertake  the  task  with  pleasure.  Leave 
it  to  me,  sir." 

That  night  the  whole  party  lay  down  in  the  hut 
within  the  stockade.  On  the  following  day  they  re- 
turned to  the  river,  and  with  the  help  of  the  natives 
had  transferred  all  their  belongings  to  the  hut  before 
darkness  fell.  But  it  was  a  more  difficult  matter  to 
bring  the  winding  gear  through,  and  almost  a  week 
passed  before  it  was  in  position.  By  then  Dick  was 
beginning  to  feel  that  he  knew  something  of  the  work, 
and  even  found  that  he  could  make  himself  understood 
by  the  natives. 

"I  shall  have  no  fears  for  vou  when  we  leave,"  said 


I04    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

Mr.  Pepson,  one  evening  as  they  smoked  their  pipes 
outside  the  hut.  "You  hit  it  ofif  well  with  the  natives, 
and  you  understand  their  methods  of  getting-  gold. 
You  will  store  it,  check  the  amounts  they  obtain,  and 
pay  them  in  gold  dust  if  they  require  their  money.  If 
not,  you  will  show  them  what  they  have  earned,  with 
the  promise  that  payment  will  be  made  at  any  time. 
The  store  of  metal  you  will  keep  here.  Have  no  fears 
for  it.  I  don't  believe  any  one  will  dare  to  interfere 
with  you.  Now  for  our  movements.  I  shall  wait  a 
little  longer  till  this  scalp  wound  is  healed,  and  then 
Meinheer,  our  Dutch  agent  and  I  will  return  to  the 
coast.  We  shall  leave  Johnnie  and  the  launch  with 
you,  for  you  will  need  to  send  down  for  stores,  and  to 
deposit  the  gold,  and  we  can  return  with  as  much  ease 
by  means  of  one  of  the  boats.  Our  friend,  the  agent, 
tells  us  that  the  wind  will  be  set  down-stream,  and  that 
a  sail  will  carry  us  to  the  sea  ahriost  as  soon  as  would  a 
propeller.  From  there  to  Elmina  and  Cape  Coast  Cas- 
tle is  nothing." 

Accordingly,  some  three  weeks  later,  the  party  set 
out,  Dick  passing  with  them  through  the  forest  to  the 
landing-stage.  One  by  one  they  shook  hands  with  him 
and  entered  the  native  boat.  Meinheer  Van  Somering 
swept  his  hat  from  his  head  and  gave  a  deep  flourish 
and  bow.  Mr.  Pepson  smiled  his  encouraging  smile, 
while  the  agent  busied  himself  with  the  sail. 

"Push  off!"  sang  out  the  leader,  and  at  the  shout 
Dick  sent  the  boat  out  into  the  stream.  Her  head  was 
pointed  down  towards  the  river  Pra,  her  sail  filled,  and 
within  a  minute  Dick  was  alone  in  the  forest.  His 
duties  had  commenced,  he  was  now  sole  agent  for  the 


Forest  Dangers  105 

gold-miners,  the  only  while  man  in  that  part  of  the 
African  forests,  lie  turned  on  his  heel,  saw  that  the 
launch  and  the  other  boats  were  tirnily  secured  to  the 
bank,  and  went  oft*  with  his  head  in  the  air,  whistling 
cheerily. 


CHAPTER  VII 
Forewarned  is   Forearmed 

"I  don't  like  the  news,  Johnnie/'  said  our  hero,  one 
day,  some  weeks  later,  when  he  had  quite  settled  down 
to  his  duties  at  the  mine.  "You  say  you  saw  some 
men  encamped  five  miles  and  more  away.  Tell  me  all 
about  them." 

The  native  lad,  an  inhabitant  of  the  coast  near  Sierra 
Leone,  who  had  come  from  that  part  with  Mr.  Pepson, 
and  who  had  teen  left  to  keep  Dick  company  and  to 
tend  to  the  launch,  put  the  short  black  pipe  which  he 
was  smoking  into  the  other  comer  of  his  mouth,  and 
turned  his  eyes  up  till  the  whites  alone  showed,  a  trick 
of  which  he  was  very  fond.  He  was,  in  fact,  a  comical- 
looking  fellow.  Short  and  square  fof  a  native,  with 
woolly  hair,  and  a  few  stray  wisps  of  beard  at  his  chin, 
he  was  dressed  in  a  much  patched  pair  of  breeches, 
with  ragged  edges,  the  tags  hanging  about  his  naked 
toes.  These  same  breeches  were  suspended  from  his 
shoulders  by  an  ancient  pair  of  braces,  a  gift  from  Dick 
himself,  while  a  soiled  and  disreputable  jacket,  smeared 
with  many  a  patch  of  grease,  was  over  his  back,  serv- 
ing for  shirt  as  well  as  coat.     He  held  a  rifle  in  his 

1 06 


Forewarned  is  Forearmed     107 

hand,  and  the  state  of  his  feet  showed  that  he  had  just 
come  in  from  the  forest. 

"Me  go  dere,  as  you  say,"  he  said,  taking  the  pipe 
from  his  mouth.  "Ale  look  for  something  to  eat,  for 
massa  want  fresh  meat.  And  then  me  see  smoke. 
*Dat  strange,'  say  Johnnie.  On  de  coast  where  me  Hb 
noting  wrong  in  dat.  Fires  eberywhere.  Smoke  all 
de  time.     But  here " 

Again  his  eyes  turned  up  as  if  to  show  that  this 
smoke  was  a  matter  for  astonishment. 

"Exactly  so.  Here  one  would  feel  surprised  and 
alarmed.     Go  on." 

"Den  Johnnie  tink,  and  say,  *Dese  surely  bad  men, 
not  like  Johnnie,'  so  me  start  to  run  'way.  Den  me 
creep  back,  and  soon  me  see  better.  Dere  ten,  tirty, 
yes,  fifty  big  native,  all  wid  sword  and  gim,  and  dey  sit 
round  de  fire  cookin'  and  eatin'.  Me  look  for  dat 
scoundrel,  dat  white  man  who  attack  us  below.  But 
no,  he  not  dere.     Den  me  come  'w^ay  and  tell  massa." 

It  was  serious  news,  and  for  a  long  while  our  hero 
was  silent.  For  three  weeks  he  had  gone  about  his 
work  at  the  mine  till  he  was  thoroughly  acquainted 
with  it.  He  had  been  down  each  one  of  the  shafts, 
and  had  ingratiated  himself  with  the  men.  It  hap- 
pened that  in  two  of  the  shafts  a  rich  deposit  of  nug- 
gets had  been  come  upon,  not  an  uncommon  find  in  the 
goldfields  of  Ashanti ;  and  that,  together  with  the  in- 
creased comfort  given  by  the  winding  gear,  all  of 
which  was  now  in  place,  had  so  heartened  the  miners 
that  he  was  more  than  popular  amongst  them.  But 
he  was  still  haunted  with  the  fear  of  attack. 

"There  must  l}e  people  who  know  that  we  are  here, 


io8    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

practically  with  no  means  of  defence,"  he  had  said  over 
and  over  again  to  himself.  "And  no  doubt  the  news 
of  a  rich  find  will  in  time  be  circulated.  \Miat  is  to 
prevent  a  ruffian  like  James  Langdon  making  a  raid 
upon  us?  I  am  here,  in  charge,  and  I  must  take 
steps." 

That  same  evening  he  went  to  the  miners  when  they 
had  come  up  from  the  shafts,  and  told  them  the  news. 

"Our  brothers  are  at  war.  There  is  nothing  in  this 
camp  to  alarm  us  or  you,"  said  their  leader,  when  Dick 
had  made  himself  understood,  a  somewhat  difficult 
matter,  considering  his  small  knowledge  of  the  lan- 
guage. "The  Ashantis  will  not  touch  us.  The  Fantis 
would  if  they  could,  for  we  are  weak,  and  should  fall 
an  easy  prey  to  them.     But  these  were  Ashantis." 

"And  to-morrow  a  force  of  Fantis  might  come, 
too,"  added  Dick.     "Then  what  could  we  do?" 

"We  should  be  killed,  the  gold  would  be  taken,  and 
there  would  be  an  end  of  the  matter." 

"Then  as  I  have  no  wish  to  be  killed,  I  suggest  that 
we  take  steps  to  protect  ourselves,"  said  Dick.  "I  have 
rifles  at  the  stockade  for  all,  and  will  arrange  a  signal. 
You  say  that  you  can  all  shoot.  That  makes  matters 
better.  We  will  practise  to-night.  There  is  a  tom- 
tom at  the  stockade,  left  there  by  one  of  yourselves  per- 
haps. I  will  beat  that  as  the  signal,  and  all  will  at 
once  rush  to  the  place,  bringing  their  store  of  gold  wnth 
them." 

The  miners  looked  at  one  another  when  they  heard 
his  words,  and  then  commenced  to  discuss  the  matter 
together ;  for  it  was  difficult  for  them  to  understand  the 
need  for  such  precautions.     They  had  been  at  this  mine 


Forewarned  is  Forearmed     109 

for  some  months  now.  and  they  had  never  l:>een  dis- 
turbed. At  the  same  time  rumour  had  reached  them 
that  their  countrymen  w  ere  at  war  witli  the  Fantis,  and 
that  being  the  case,  the  latter  would  treat  them  as 
enemies.  There  was  a  big  store  of  gold,  the  result  of 
the  last  month's  labour,  and  that  would  certainly  go. 
They  would  be  killed,  too.  and  even  if  they  were  not, 
they  would  lose  their  wages,  now  owing  for  some 
months. 

"We  will  do  as  you  ask,"  said  their  chief,  half  an 
hour  later.  "There  may  Ije  need  for  these  precautions, 
and  in  that  case  we  may  have  cause  to  be  glad.  On 
the  other  hand,  the  time  wasted  will  be  only  short,  and 
will  not  matter.     What  else  shall  we  do?" 

"Make  for  the  stockade,  as  I  have  said,  and  when 
there  we  will  arrange  the  method  of  defence," 
answered  Dick.  "Keep  your  ears  open  for  the 
signal." 

He  left  them,  and  an  hour  later,  having  seen  Johnnie 
again  in  the  meanwhile  and  instructed  him  to  sound 
the  alarm,  he  retreated  to  the  stockade  with  the  men, 
waiting  till  the  last  to  see  how^  they  carried  out  the 
movement. 

"That  will  do  very  well."  he  said,  as  they  arrived, 
panting,  in  the  stockade.  "Xow  for  other  orders.  The 
last  man  in  throws  the  doors  to  and  is  helped  by  his 
friends.  That  is  right.  We  are  now^  safely  Ijehind 
stout  walls,  and  can  fetch  our  rifles.  They  are  kept 
in  this  rack  in  the  hut,  and  a  bag  of  ammunition  is 
hung  to  the  muzzle  of  each.  Let  every  one  go  in  and 
hel])  himself,  and  then  run  out  to  the  walls." 

He  watched  as  the  miners,  a  group  of  intelligent 


iio    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

men.  carried  out  his  orders.  Then  as  they  came 
husthng  from  the  hut,  pushing  each  other  aside  in  their 
eagerness,  he  arrested  them  with  a  shout  and  with  up- 
hfted  hand. 

"Some  one  will  be  shot  very  soon,"  he  said.  "Some 
of  you  have  already  loaded,  and  guns  go  off  sooner 
than  they  are  wanted  to  under  these  circumstances. 
We  must  do  things  in  an  orderly  manner,  and  each 
must  have  an  allotted  place.  Tell  your  men  off  to  a 
loophole  apiece,  chief,"  he  shouted.  "Now,  that  is 
better,  and  we  will  practise  the  move  again." 

Several  times  they  carried  out  the  exercise,  Dick 
making  them  emerge  from  the  stockade,  and  then,  at  a 
beat  on  the  tom-tom.  rush  in,  close  the  gates,  and  go  in 
search  of  their  rifles.  No  man  was  allowed  to  load 
till  he  was  at  his  loophole,  and  then  the  order  was  that 
there  should  be  no  firing  unless  the  enemy  were  clearly 
seen. 

"We  have  a  fair  store  of  cartridges,"  said  Dick,  "but 
we  may  have  to  stand  a  siege.  That  being  the  case, 
we  must  not  throw  them  away.  Now  let  each  man 
pick  out  a  tree  or  some  object,  and  aim  at  it.  I'll  give 
the  order  to  fire." 

By  now  the  miners  were  beginning  to  take  more  than 
a  passing  interest  in  these  manoeuvres  of  their  young 
chief.  They  had  been  talking  the  thing  over,  and  had 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  it  would  be  worth  while 
to  safeguard  their  own  interests.  They  had  been  away 
from  their  friends  for  a  long  time,  and  it  might  be 
that  there  was  a  war  of  considerable  proportions  rag- 
ing, for  the  Ashantis  were  at  daggers  drawn  with  the 
Fantis,  and  took  every  opportunity  of  attacking  them. 


Forewarned  is  I'orearmcd     i  i  i 

At  Dick's  call  they  poured  a  volley  into  space,  and 
looked  round  for  more  orders. 

"That  will  do  very  well  for  to-day.  We  will  prac- 
tise again  every  day,  and  I  want  to  see  that  the  men 
at  the  top  of  the  shaft  shout  the  alarm  to  their  friends 
below  and  wait  to  haul  them  up.  There  must  be  no 
desertion  of  comrades." 

Dick  was  as  good  as  his  word.  too.  The  following 
morning,  when  he  had  carefully  inspected  the  sur- 
roundings, and  had  seen  that  the  miners  were  busily 
at  work,  he  caused  Johnnie  to  sound  the  alarm  again, 
and  stood  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  shafts  till  all 
the  men  were  up.  Then  the  proceedings  of  the  pre- 
vious evening  were  repeated. 

"That  part  of  our  precautions  is  arranged,"  he  said 
to  himself,  as  he  smoked  a  meditative  pipe.  "Now  I 
must  look  to  another  matter.  Johnnie  and  I  must  take 
it  in  turns  to  go  abroad  into  the  forest." 

It  was  a  wise  precaution,  and  from  that  day,  turn 
and  turn  about,  he  or  the  native  stoker,  as  soon  as 
breakfast  was  ended,  and  while  the  day  was  still  cool, 
would  take  a  rifle  and  stalk  away  towards  the  forest. 
Sometimes  they  would  go  towards  the  river,  to  see 
that  no  one  had  tampered  with  the  launch,  and  at 
others  they  would  make  in  the  opposite  direction.  But 
whichever  road  they  followed,  they  were  careful  not  to 
penetrate  too  deeply  into  the  jungle,  and  to  take  their 
bearings  l^efore  entering  the  bush. 

"We  might  get  lost,"  said  Dick,  "and  tesides,  it  is 
really  laborious  work  cutting  a  path,  however  narrow. 
The  main  thing  is  to  circle  all  around  the  mine,  looking 
for  traces  of  a  possible  enemy,  and,  of  course,  shooting 


112    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

any  game  we  may  come  upon,  for  fresh  meat  is  a  lux- 
ury." 

One  day,  a  week  later,  when  our  hero  was  out  on 
his  tramp,  and  had  proceeded  a  couple  of  miles  from 
the  mine,  he  suddenly  came  to  a  halt,  and  stood  there 
listening  intently,  for  a  sound  had  come  to  his  ear. 

''The  tom-tom !"  he  exclaimed.  "I  feel  sure,  and 
from  the  direction  of  the  stockade.  Can  the  place  be 
attacked  ?" 

The  thought  threw  him  into  a  fever  of  apprehen- 
sion, for  supposing  an  enemy  had  appeared,  and  his 
men  were  within  the  stockade,  what  would  happen  to 
them  without  their  leader?  They  were  excellent  fel- 
lows, but  Dick  had  come  to  know  that,  without  some 
one  to  direct  them,  they  were  useless. 

"They  w^ould  be  all  right  for  an  hour  or  two  if  not 
pressed,"  he  said.  "But  if  they  were  rushed  by  a 
strong  force — well,  it  would  go  hard  with  them.  I 
must  return.  But  can  it  be  that  that  tom-tom  was  not 
from  the  mine?" 

That  was  another  momentous  question,  and,  as  he 
pondered  over  it,  the  perspiration  poured  from  his  fore- 
head. He  turned  and  retraced  his  steps  at  a  run, 
breaking  through  the  jungle  in  his  feverish  haste,  tear- 
ing the  vines  and  brambles  aside  and  lacerating  his 
hands  and  face  with  the  thorns. 

Hark !  This  time  it  was  another  sound  that  brought 
him  to  a  standstill.  There  was  the  clear,  crisp  report 
of  a  rifle,  a  distant  shout,  and  then  a  medley  of  sounds, 
the  frantic  cries  of  natives,  and  the  sharp  snap  of 
answering  firearms. 

The  place,  then,  was  attacked.     There  could  be  no 


Forewarned  is  Forearmed    i  i  3 

doubt  about  the  matter.  And  he,  the  leader,  was  out- 
side the  stockade.  Dick  clenched  his  hands  and  ground 
his  teeth  with  disappointment.  He  had  no  fear  for 
himself.  He  thought  last  of  his  own  personal  safety. 
A  duty  had  been  entrusted  to  him.  He  had  been  placed 
at  the  mine  to  defend  it,  and  he  was  helpless  to  direct 
the  men. 

"They  must  hold  their  own,  then,"  he  gasped.  "I 
cannot  get  to  them  yet,  and  they  cannot  know  where  I 
am.  \'ery  well,  I  will  go  where  I  can  see  what  is 
happening,  and  then  I  must  be  guided  by  circum- 
stances." 

This  time  he  did  not  rush  through  the  jungle  with 
such  frantic  haste.  His  impetuosity  had  given  way  to 
prudence,  and,  as  he  walked,  he  peered  ahead,  halting 
every  now  and  again  to  make  sure  that  he  was  not  run- 
ning upon  the  enemy.  As  he  approached  the  clearing 
about  the  mine  the  snap  of  rifles  became  more  audible. 
It  was  a  spluttering  fire  now,  an  occasional  shot,  and 
then  a  succession  of  reports. 

"That  is  what  I  like  to  hear,"  he  said  to  himself, 
'Tt  shows  that  they  are  not  so  closely  pressed,  and  I 
think  that  they  must  te  holding  their  own.  If  my  men 
were  being  rushed  there  would  be  shouts,  and  rifles 
would  be  fired  more  frequently.  Ah.  it  is  getting 
lighter,  and  soon  I  shall  be  able  to  see." 

He  crept  on  all  fours  now,  and  presently  came  to 
the  very  edge  of  the  jungle.  But  from  where  he  was 
he  could  only  see  a  fraction  of  the  stockade,  and  not  a 
soul  was  in  sight.  To  obtain  a  full  view  he  must  creep 
round  to  the  far  side,  where  the  attack  was  taking 
place. 


114    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

"No  doubt  they  have  their  camp  there,"  he  thought, 
"so  I  must  be  doubly  careful.  I'll  slip  into  the  trees 
again  and  go  cautiously." 

Well  was  it  for  him,  too,  that  he  took  this  precau- 
tion, for  he  had  progressed  only  a  little  way  when  his 
keen  eye  caught  sight  of  some  natives  out  in  the  open. 
They  carried  rifles,  and  were  making  for  the  mines. 
Ditch  watched  them  as  they  went  to  the  shafts,  and 
saw  two  of  their  number  lowered  into  each.  Then 
there  was  a  shout,  and  they  were  hauled  up  again. 

"Looking  for  possible  stragglers,"  he  thought.  "It 
was  a  lucky  idea  to  have  a  signal  to  recall  the  men.  I 
suppose  Johnnie  must  have  sounded  it.  Ah,  the  ruf- 
fians are  now  looking  for  gold,  but  there  again  I  fancy 
they  will  be  disappointed.  How  I  wish  I  had  a  dozen 
men  here !  I  could  pick  the  enemy  ofif  easily,  and  then 
a  rush  might  drive  the  rest  away." 

By  now  the  natives  were  retracing  their  steps,  dis- 
appointed at  their  lack  of  fortune,  and  at  once  Dick 
crawled  on  again.  An  hour  later  he  was  round  at  the 
far  side,  and  had  a  full  view  of  all  that  was  taking 
place.  A  glance  showed  him  that  matters  were  as  he 
had  hoped.  The  timely  alarm,  the  previous  training, 
and  the  careful  instruction  which  had  been  given  to  the 
miners  had  resulted  in  their  reaching  the  stockade  in  a 
mass,  and  in  closing  the  doors  on  the  attackers.  Nor 
were  there  wanting  signs  that  they  had  made  their 
presence  felt  by  the  enemy,  for  ten  dark  figures  lay 
sprawling  in  the  open,  some  looking  as  though  the  men 
slept,  while  in  other  cases  the  bodies  were  doubled  up 
in  that  fantastic  position  which  is  seen  where  men  have 
been  killed  in  the  act  of  charging. 


Forewarned  is  Forearmed    115 

"Showing-  that  our  friends  held  their  fire  till  they 
were  sure  of  their  aim."  said  Dick,  with  a  chuckle,  his 
spirits  reviving-  immensely  at  the  sight.  "But  the  at- 
tack was  a  genuine  one.  for  I  can  see  one  man  close 
outside  the  stockade.  Perhaps  the  alarm  was  only  just 
given  in  time,  and  when  the  miners  reached  the  stock- 
ade the  enemy  were  in  full  chase  and  close  behind  them. 
Ah  !     They  have  been  making  long  shots,  too." 

His  hand  went  to  his  trigger  suddenly,  and  he  fell 
on  his  face  in  the  undergrowth,  for  he  had  caught  sight 
of  a  native  some  few  paces  away.  He  seemed  to  be 
leaning  against  a  tree,  and  was  partly  in  the  open.  A 
second  glance,  however,  told  that  he  was  dead,  for  his 
head  lay  on  his  breast,  and  only  the  tree  which  support- 
ed him  prevented  his  falling  from  his  knees. 

"Looks  as  though  he  had  knelt  to  take  a  shot,  and 
had  been  killed  in  the  act."  thought  Dick.  "He  will 
be  fired  at  again,  perhaps.  One  of  our  men  will  see 
him,  and  not  knowing  that  he  has  already  ceased  to  be 
an  enemy  will  fire.  It  would  be  safer  for  me  to  crawl 
on  a  little." 

Once  more  he  sneaked  through  the  forest,  his  senses 
all  alert,  for  now,  at  any  moment,  he  might  come  full 
upon  the  enemy.  Suddenly  he  heard  voices,  and  at 
the  sound  crouched  on  his  face.  Then  there  came  the 
rustle  of  vines  and  leaves,  the  soft  tread  of  naked  feet, 
and  the  dull  blow  of  something  harder  striking  the 
trunk  of  a  tree.  The  voices  grew  louder,  and,  to  Dick's 
consternation,  they  seemed  to  be  coming  directly 
towards  him.  He  looked  about  him  like  a  hunted  ani- 
mal, saw  an  immense  cotton  tree  with  wide-spreading 
roots,  just  such  another  as  had  sheltered  the  party 


1 1 6    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

during  the  storm  which  they  had  encountered  in  the 
forest,  and  promptly  crept  into  the  narrow  archway 
beneath.  He  was  barely  in  time.  Hardly  had  he 
squatted  in  the  shadow,  and  found  an  aperture  for  his 
rifle,  when  a  group  of  natives  came  into  view,  slashing 
the  vines  and  creepers  with  their  knives.  And  in  their 
midst,  his  wide-awake  hat  and  sallow  features  making 
him  conspicuous,  appeared  James  Langdon,  his  face 
convulsed,  while  his  hands  and  teeth  were  clenched 
with  rage.  He  could  hardly  speak,  but  turned  every 
now  and  again  towards  the  stockade  and  shook  his 
fists,  while  he  growled  out  an  oath. 

Once  more  Dick's  rifle  went  to  his  shoulder,  his 
cheek  lay  down  on  the  stock,  and  he  aligned  the  sights 
dead  upon  the  half-caste's  forehead.  One  pressure  of 
the  finger,  the  gentlest  pull,  and  the  man  would  be 
slain.  The  temptation  was  great,  the  call  for  such 
action  clear,  and  yet,  and  yet " 

"Be  a  sportsman,"  whispered  Dick  to  himself. 
"Shoot  a  fellow  in  cold  blood,  Dick  Stapleton,  even 
though  he  be  a  rogue  and  a  robber?     Never !" 

He  lowered  the  rifle,  while  the  half-caste,  all  uncon- 
scious of  his  danger,  snatched  his  hat  from  his  head, 
and  called  a  halt.  It  was  clear  that  he  was  baffled. 
One  could  see  it  on  his  ugly,  resentful  face.  There 
was  a  scowl  in  his  every  look,  while  his  eyes,  when  he 
turned  them  towards  the  stockade,  flashed  in  a  manner 
which  boded  little  good  to  the  defenders,  should  they 
come  into  his  power. 

"They  have  us  beaten,  comrades,"  he  suddenly  ex- 
claimed, while  at  the  words  the  scowl  became  even  more 
pronounced,     "This  white  man  is  the  cause  of  our 


Forewarned  is  Forearmed    117 

failure.  He  must  lia\e  suspected,  else  how  conies  it 
that  when  we  arrived  they  bolted  to  their  lair?  There 
was  a  shout  as  we  came  from  the  trees,  and  then  the 
men  at  the  heads  of  the  shafts  began  to  wind  for  their 
lives.  In  two  minutes  they  were  all  racing  for  the 
stockade,  and  when  we  got  there  they  were  safe,  while 
their  bullets  were  flying  amongst  us.  It  is  that  cursed 
Englishman !" 

The  bitterness  of  his  misfortune  seemed  to  over- 
whelm him,  lor  he  threw  himself  on  the  grass,  mutter- 
ing and  beating  his  hands  together.  Then  he  pulled 
a  cigarette  from  his  pocket,  for  this  half-caste  had  ac- 
customed himself  to  the  manners  of  Europeans,  and 
lit  it  with  a  match. 

''To  add  to  our  trouble,  there  is  no  gold  to  be  had," 
he  almost  shouted.  ''The  dogs  carried  their  day's  tak- 
ings to  the  stockade,  where  the  remainder  is  stacked, 
I  suppose.  There  are  weeks  of  profit  there,  comrades ; 
and  we  have  heard  that  they  have  done  well.  Shall  we 
retire  now  till  our  friends  come  to  help  us.  or  shall  we 
make  a  second  attempt  ?  In  a  day  we  can  have  a  hun- 
dred men  to  aid  us.  and  then  there  will  be  no  doubt  of 
success." 

"While  the  booty  will  be  the  smaller,  for  the  reason 
that  it  must  l^e  divided,"  added  one  of  the  natives. 

"Which  is  better  than  losing  more  lives,"  exclaimed 
James  Langdon.  ''Besides,  there  will  be  plenty  of 
booty  for  us  all,  for  you  know  what  is  happening.  We 
are  on  the  way  to  Elniina.  Your  king  is  going  to 
drive  these  white  men  out  of  the  country,  and  that 
means  plenty  of  loot  for  every  man  of  us.  But  I  will 
leave  it  to  you.     We  will  attack  again  now,  for  there 


1 1 8    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

are  fifty  of  us,  or  we  will  make  a  ring  round  them,  and 
hold  them  tight  till  our  friends  come.  We  have  them 
safely,  in  any  case." 

Dick  listened  with  all  his  ears.  At  the  mention  of 
reinforcements  his  heart  sank  into  his  boots,  while  the 
news  that  war  with  Britain  had  broken  out  came  as  a 
shock  to  him.  True,  there  had  been  grave  rumours  of 
trouble  before  he  and  the  expedition  had  left  the  coast. 
But  it  was  expected  that  the  difficulty  would  be  settled 
amicably.  If  there  was  war,  he  was  cut  off  from  his 
friends.  In  all  probability  the  enemy  were  already  be- 
tween him  and  the  coast,  and,  in  any  case,  they  would 
make  for  the  river.  It  was  a  serious  situation,  and 
had  he  been  in  any  other  place,  and  not  beset  by  foes, 
Dick  would  then  and  there  have  sat  down  and  thought 
deeply,  for,  young  and  inexperienced  though  he  was, 
his  wits  had  been  sharpened  by  the  responsibility 
thrown  upon  him.  He  was  naturally  a  shrewd  young 
fellow ;  but  till  he  came  to  Africa  he  had  never  been 
called  upon  to  settle  questions  of  great  moment.  He 
had  hardly  given  a  command  in  his  life,  save  to  the 
boys  in  his  company  in  the  cadet  corps  at  school,  and 
there,  there  had  been  no  difficulty  about  the  matter. 
Here,  in  the  heart  of  the  Ashanti  forest,  it  was  all  so 
different.  And  yet  Dick  did  not  fall  short  of  the 
estimate  his  employers  had  formed  of  him.  Long  be- 
fore they  had  departed  from  the  mine  they  had  ap- 
proved, time  and  again,  their  appointment  of  him  as 
their  agent. 

"He  is  born  for  command,"  Mr.  Pepson  had  said. 
"He  is  quiet,  and  inclined  to  be  cool.  He  wall  not  be 
hurried.     I've  watched  him.     Rather  than  give  a  hasty 


Forewarned  is  Forearmed     i  i  9 

decision  he  will  slip  away  for  a  time,  and  then  one  sees 
him  smoking  his  pipe  and  evidently  cogitating-.  That's 
the  sort  of  lad  I  can  rely  on.  Ready,  if  there  is  need 
to  act  in  haste,  but  given  to  reflection,  weighing  his 
words,  and  venturing  no  opinion  unless  he  has  con- 
sidered Ije forehand.  As  to  courage — well,  that  he  has, 
we  know." 

Meinheer  \^an  Somering  had  invariably  replied  that 
Dick  was  indeed  brave,  and  who  could  realize  the  fact 
if  he — a  Dutchman — did  not  do  so? 

But  under  the  present  circumstances  who  could  give 
thought  to  any  question?  Dick  was  crouching  be- 
neath the  archway  of  roots  within  easy  reach  of  a  band 
of  cutthroats  who  had  made  an  attack  upon  his  stock- 
ade. And  in  their  midst  was  the  ruffian  who  had 
systematically  robbed  his  father,  and  who  had  wound 
up  his  crimes  by  robbing  Dick,  and  then  making  a  mur- 
derous attack  upon  the  expedition.  Would  James 
Langdon  spare  him  if  he  happened  to  discover  his 
whereabouts?  Would  he  cause  the  forest  to  be 
searched  if  he  suspected  that  hidden  within  it  was  the 
youth  whom  he  had  wronged,  and  against  whom  he 
was  so  embittered?  If  Dick  had  had  any  doubts,  the 
next  few  words  of  the  miscreant  relieved  his  mind  of 
them,  and  set  the  perspiration  again  pouring  from  his 
forehead. 

"Yes,"  said  the  half-caste,  reflecting.  "Our  course 
is  clear.  We  have  failed  to  rush  them,  thanks  to  this 
white  man  and  his  precautions.  I  felt  that  he  would 
be  suspicious  of  a  second  attack,  and  would  l)e  ready 
for  us.  Then  we  will  surround  the  stockade,  for  what 
hope  have  we  of  rushing  the  place?     They  are  armed 


I20    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

with  sniders,  my  comrades,  and  can  fire  three  shots  to 
our  one.  Then  they  are  under  perfect  cover,  while  we 
are  exposed  in  the  open.  Xo,  no,  it  would  be  foolish 
to  attack  again.  It  would  be  wasting  lives.  We  will 
sit  down  and  wait  for  our  friends,  and  when  they 
come,  ah !  then  there  will  be  a  different  tale.  These 
miners  shall  hand  over  their  gold,  and  this  white  man 
— what  shall  we  do  with  him  ?  Think  of  your  brothers 
who  are  slain!" 

"We  shall  be  able  to  deal  with  him,"  answered  one 
of  the  natives.  "We  can  send  him  back  to  Kumasi, 
and  there  he  will  be  slain  as  a  sacrifice.  Yes,  it  will 
be  good  to  appease  our  juju  with  the  blood  of  a  white 
man." 

Dick  had  heard  of  the  frightful  rites  perpetrated  at 
Kumasi.  He  knew  that  these  Ashantis  were  a  warlike 
race,  who  were  forever  battling  with  their  neighbours, 
and  the  tale  had  come  to  the  coast,  a  tale  the  truth  of 
which  had  been  proved  time  and  again,  of  a  hideous 
bowl,  of  an  executioner's  heavy  knife,  and  of  the  man- 
ner in  which  the  captives  were  killed.  He  shuddered 
when  he  imagined  that  he  was  so  near  to  such  a  fate. 
That  within  a  little  while  he  might  be  in  the  town  of 
Kumasi,  and  while  thousands  looked  on,  hooting  and 
shouting  for  joy,  and  James  Langdon  mocked  at  him, 
eagerly  watching  for  a  sign  that  his  captive  quailed, 
while  the  executioner  made  ready,  might  be  dragged 
to  that  awful  bowl,  forced  to  his  knees,  and  have  his 
head  struck  off  at  a  blow,  while  his  life's  blood  was 
caught  in  the  receptacle.  Yes,  he  had  heard  the  de- 
tails. It  was  said  that  many  thousand  wretched  cap- 
tives uttered  their  last  sigh  in  this  vile  town  of  Kumasi 


Forewarned  is  Forearmed    121 

every  year,  and  that  King  Koffee  and  his  warriors 
sought  constantly  to  increase  the  number.  Xo  wonder 
that  he  shuddered,  tliat  he  cruuclied  still  lower,  while 
his  hands  became  clammy  with  fear.  The  thought  un- 
manned him.  These  natives,  with  their  leader,  looked 
like  ogres  waiting  to  take  his  life,  and  he,  all  alone 
there,  was  so  helpless.  But  a  sudden  movement  brought 
the  manhood  that  was  within  him  to  the  fore  asrain. 
A  native  fidgeted.  Then  he  strolled  from  the  band, 
and  noticing  the  tree,  came  and  sat  down  with  his  back 
leaning  against  it.  Dick  could  hear  his  breathing. 
His  own  heart,  as  it  thudded  against  his  ribs,  sounded 
even  louder,  and  to  him,  in  the  extremity  of  his  danger, 
it  seemed  that  discovery  was  an  accomplished  fact. 
He  gripped  the  rirte  till  the  cords  in  his  wrists  stood 
out  clearly.  Then  he  directed  tlie  muzzle  at  the  man's 
neck,  while  his  finger  went  to  the  trigger. 

"Then  we  will  arrange  our  stations."  cried  James 
Langdon,  suddenly,  rising  to  his  feet.  "We  will  sur- 
round them  so  thoroughly  that  there  can  be  no  escape. 
Come,  all  of  you.  to  the  edge  of  the  clearing,  so  that 
we  may  discuss  the  situation." 

The  native  rose  to  his  feet  at  once,  to  Dick's  huge 
relief,  while  the  whole  band  crept  to  the  edge  of  the 
forest,  and  looked  across  at  the  stockade.  In  their 
centre  was  the  half-caste,  eager  and  confident,  in  com- 
plete command  of  his  men.  and  though  they  were  now 
farther  away  our  hero  could  distinctly  hear  and  under- 
stand his  directions.  The  circle  was  indeed  to  l^e  com- 
plete. Men  were  told  off  to  occupy  the  summit  of  the 
rocky  crest,  from  which  they  could  look  down  upon  the 
stockade.     It  would  be  a  full  moon  that  night,  so  that 


12  2    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

these  natives  could  watch  the  surrounding  country 
ahnost  as  completely  as  in  the  daytime.  Others  were 
ordered  to  occupy  certain  scraps  of  cover,  with  direc- 
tions to  fire  at  any  one  who  showed  above  the  stockade. 
And  lastly,  a  second  ring  would  encompass  the  inner 
one,  for  James  Langdon  would  leave  nothing  to  chance. 

"We  have  a  crafty  fellow  to  deal  with,  and  a  big 
stake  to  win,"  he  cried,  as  he  glared  across  at  the 
stockade.  "There  is  gold  there,  my  comrades,  and 
there  are  men,  too,  to  repay  for  the  death  of  your 
brothers.  True,  they  are  of  your  own  country,  but 
they  have  defied  you.  They  are  not  fighters.  They 
live  for  wealth,  and  run  when  their  country  has  need  of 
them.  Think,  too,  of  the  white  man.  He  would  be  a 
prize  indeed  in  Kumasi." 

How  much  longer  he  would  have  continued  to  talk 
it  would  be  unwise  to  guess,  though  there  was  little 
doubt  that  these  natives  under  his  leadership  required 
no  further  encouragement.  They  were  warriors  of 
Ashanti,  cruel-minded  and  blood-thirsty,  and  it  was 
nothing  to  them  whom  they  fought  if  they  imagined 
they  had  a  grievance.  But  there  were  others  paying 
attention  to  that  gathering.  As  the  half-caste  turned 
to  see  what  effect  his  words  had  had,  a  single  shot  rang 
out  crisply  from  the  stockade,  and  a  native  standing 
beside  him  sprang  into  the  air  and  fell  dead  on  his 
face.  There  was  a  stampede  at  once,  the  gathering 
broke  up  and  melted  into  the  forest,  leaving  Dick  alone, 
breathing  more  freely  now  that  the  danger  was  les- 
sened. 

"There  is  some  one  alert  at  the  stockade,"  he  said, 
with  satisfaction.      "Some  one  who  can  shoot,  too. 


Forewarned  is  Forearmed     123 

Then  I  need  not  worry  myself  for  the  present.  They 
will  do  well  till  I  join  them.  But  how  is  that  to  be 
done?  Regain  the  stockade  I  must,  but  how,  that  is 
the  question?" 

It  was  a  sutihciently  knotty  one,  and  not  to  be  settled 
in  a  moment.  Dick  reliected  that  he  could  still  make 
for  the  launch  and  steam  down  the  river,  for  it  was 
hardly  likely  that  she  had  been  discovered,  so  well 
were  the  creek  and  the  tiny  tributary  hidden.  But 
then 

"Can't."  he  said,  with  decision.  ''There  are  the  men 
and  the  stockade  to  be  thought  of.  Besides,  I  have  to 
think  of  the  gold.  I  must  get  to  the  stockade  and  join 
my  men.     Then  we  can  decide  what  course  to  take." 

He  lay  in  his  hiding-place  for  hours,  till  the  twilight 
came,  and  then  he  crept  to  the  clearing  and  looked  out 
to  see  if  he  could  discover  the  position  of  the  natives 
who  formed  the  inner  circle  about  the  stockade.  He 
had  heard  a  shot  every  now  and  again,  and  now  as  he 
stared  from  amidst  the  ferns  and  vines,  he  saw  first 
one  and  then  a  dozen  dusky  prostrate  figures,  hiding 
behind  boulders  of  large  size,  or  masses  of  bush  which 
happened  to  lie  in  the  open,  and  which  they  had  been 
able  to  reach  by  stealthily  crawling  across  to  them  upon 
their  bellies.  At  the  back  of  the  stockade,  seeming  in 
that  half  light  to  stand  on  the  very  top  of  it.  were  more 
figures,  half  concealed,  keeping  watch  upon  the  place. 

"Very  good."  said  Dick,  as  he  lay  in  the  bush.  "I 
know  where  they  are  at  least,  and  must  try  to  avoid 
them.  Go  I  must,  and  if  anv  man  comes  in  mv  way, 
why " 

He  rose  to  his  knees  and  drew  the  short  sword  with 


124    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

which  Mr.  Pepson  had  provided  him.  Satisfied  that  it 
would  easily  free  itself  from  the  scabbard,  he  inspected 
his  revolver  and  popped  that  back  into  its  case.  Then 
his  rifle  went  across  his  shoulder,  and  with  a  hitch  he 
shortened  the  sling  till  there  was  no  danger  of  the 
weapon  swinging  about.  Half  an  hour  later  twilight 
had  gone  and  darkness  had  settled  down  upon  clearing 
and  forest. 

"This  is  my  only  chance,"  said  Dick,  as  he  rose  to 
his  feet.  "There  will  be  darkness  for  a  few  minutes, 
and  then  the  moon  will  be  up.  I  must  make  a  bold 
dash  for  it." 

He  swung  the  rifle  back  on  to  his  shoulders,  drew 
his  sword  and  revolver,  and  struck  off  across  the  clear- 
ing in  the  direction  of  the  stockade. 


CHAPTER  Mil 
Besiegers  and  Besieged 

It  wa?  intensely  dark  in  the  clearing,  as  our  hero 
struck  into  it.  but  by  contrast  with  the  shadows  in  the 
deptlis  of  the  forest  it  was  light,  so  that  he  could  see 
a  few  feet  before  him.  He  could  distinguish  vaguely 
the  outline  of  the  rocky  crest  near  the  summit  of  which 
the  stockade  was  posted,  and  beyond  it  and  to  one  side 
the  dull  black  band  of  the  encircling  forest.  In  one 
direction  there  was  a  faint  glimmer  in  the  sky,  the  her- 
ald of  the  rising  moon,  while  a  glare  rose  above  the 
stockade,  not  intense,  to  be  sure,  but  sufificient  to  tell 
him  that  a  fire  was  burning  there. 

"Then  they  are  not  alarmed,"  he  whispered,  in  tones 
of  delight.  "They  are  cooking  their  evening  meal, 
which  reminds  me  that  I  am  hungry  and  thirsty,  too. 
I  must  move  on.     Hullo!" 

He  fell  like  a  stone,  and  lay  with  his  body  pressed 
close  to  the  ground,  for  his  ear  caught  a  sound,  and 
his  eye  detected  a  figure  on  his  right.  In  that  semi- 
darkness  it  looked  huge  and  weird  in  shape,  and  might 
have  been  an  ox  or  any  other  animal.  But  the  low 
tones  ui  men  talking  showed  him  that  it  must  be  the 

125 


126    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

enemy,  and  caused  him  to  grip  his  sword  with  extra 
determination. 

"Hoot!  Hoot!"  Once  more  he  heard  the  call  of 
the  night  owl,  the  same  cry  as  had  awakened  him  when 
ascending  the  Pra,  and  which  had  aroused  his  sus- 
picion. It  seemed  certain  that  this  was  the  signal  com- 
monly used  by  the  Ashantis,  just  as  it  had  been  for 
many  and  many  a  year  by  the  Red  Indians  of  America. 
"Hoot!     Hoot!" 

The  call  was  repeated,  and  almost  at  once,  from  a 
point  but  a  few  yards  nearer  to  the  stockade,  came  the 
answer,  "Hoot !  Hoot !"  Then  the  men  advanced, 
and  halted  close  to  their  comrade,  W'hile  a  few  words  of 
direction  passed.  Dick  could  with  pleasure  have 
dropped  through  the  earth,  so  great  was  his  dismay 
and  consternation.  Then  he  could  have  shouted  with 
delight. 

"Just  a  bit  of  sheer  good  fortune,"  he  thought. 
"Here  was  I  advancing  right  on  to  one  of  the  enemy, 
and  these  fellows  gave  me  a  warning.  Very  well. 
The  hoot  of  the  owl  is  the  signal,  and  why  should  I 
not  make  it  ?  Why  should  I  not  follow  these  beggars 
on  their  rounds?  They  will  be  visiting  the  sentries, 
and  I  shall  then  know  where  all  are.  I  will  go  a  little 
way  with  them,  and  then  slip  through  between  two  of 
the  men." 

It  was  a  brilliant  idea,  and  he  set  about  carrying  it 
out  at  once.  He  lifted  his  head  and  kept  watch  on  the 
natives,  while  he  listened  to  their  conversation.  Not 
that  he  could  hear  the  words,  for  these  men  were  ex- 
perienced warriors,  and  they  knew  that  a  whisper  car- 
ried far  on  such  a  still  night.     They  conversed  in  the 


Besiegers  and  Besieged        127 

lowest  of  tones,  and  then  moved  on.  "Hoot!  Hoot!" 
The  weird  caH  ag-ain  broke  the  silence,  and  was  re- 
sponded to.  Then  the  native  chiefs  who  were  going 
the  rounds  moved  on,  and  after  them  crept  Dick,  as 
silent  and  stealthy  as  a  snake,  one  hand  placed  l)efore 
the  other,  groping  the  ground  to  see  that  it  was  clear 
of  twigs  or  other  material  which  might  betray  his 
presence.  Then  the  other  would  follow,  and  after- 
wards his  knees  would  be  drawn  up  beneath  him,  and 
he  would  repeat  the  whole  pnx:ess.  "Hoot!  Hoot!" 
There  it  was  again.  A  third  sentry  had  been  ap- 
proached, but  Dick  could  not  see  him  even  though  he 
was  so  close. 

"Which  shows  me  clearly  how  difficult  the  task  is," 
he  thought.  "But  for  those  fellows  going  the  rounds 
I  should  have  walked  right  on  to  this  batch  of  sentries, 
and  then  there  would  have  been  a  row.  Hullo !  Some 
one  else  is  on  the  alert." 

He  could  have  laughed,  for  as  the  natives  went  on 
their  way  and  repeated  their  signal,  the  Ashanti  miners 
in  the  stockade  must  have  carefully  listened.  Then 
they  thought  they  espied  the  enemy,  standing  against 
a  piece  of  open  ground  which  happened  to  \ye  excep- 
tionally light  in  colour.  Suddenly  a  single  shot  rang 
out,  the  detonation  startling  every  one,  and  making 
our  hero  jump.  For  a  single  instant  the  stockade  be- 
came outlined,  and  Dick  thought  he  saw  heads  peeping 
up  above  the  baulks  of  timber.  Then  all  was  darkness 
again  and  silence,  save  for  the  hoot  of  the  native  chief 
and  the  answer  of  the  sentry. 

"Time  to  te  moving  on."  thought  Dick.  "T  have 
barely  half  an  hour  in  which  to  reach  friends,  and  now 


128    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

is  my  opportunity.  These  fellows  here  will  have  their 
attention  distracted  by  the  call  of  their  corarades  going 
the  rounds.  I  may  manage  to  get  through.  In  any 
case  I  shall  chance  it,  and  if  I  am  discovered  I  shall 
make  a  dash  for  the  stockade.  I  suppose  I  shall  have 
to  run  the  chance  of  being  shot,  for  how  can  my  own 
men  know  that  I  am  not  one  of  the  enemy  ?  That  also 
I  must  risk.  Anything  better  than  to  be  out  here 
alone." 

Inch  by  inch  he  made  his  way  across  the  open  in  the 
direction  of  the  hill,  his  eyes  turning  from  side  to 
side,  while  he  halted  every  minute.  He  was  quite 
cool  now\  The  imminence  of  his  danger,  the  knowl- 
edge that  there  were  enemies  very  near  and  on  either 
hand,  seemed  to  have  braced  his  nerves.  His  heart 
had  ceased  to  thump  like  a  sledge-hammer  against  his 
ribs,  while  he  could  no  longer  feel  his  pulses  beating 
and  throbbing  till  it  was  almost  painful.  He  had  need 
of  every  faculty,  of  coolness  and  courage,  and  he  did 
not  mean  to  throw  away  a  chance.  Hush !  A  man, 
the  sentry  on  his  right,  sat  up  suddenly,  and  as  Dick 
crouched  he  could  see  that  the  fellow  was  listening. 
He  had  heard  something  which  had  aroused  his  sus- 
picions, and  with  all  the  keenness  of  a  native  for  the 
chase  he  would  probe  the  matter  to  the  bottom,  he 
would  not  be  satisfied  to  rest  till  he  had  cleared  up  the 
mystery.  "Hoot!  Hoot!"  He  sounded  the  signal, 
and  for  an  instant  our  hero's  heart  failed  him.  Should 
he  answer  ?     \\'as  he  seen  ? 

"Yes,  I  believe  he  has  heard  me,"  he  thought.  "He 
wonders  who  I  am.     I  will  answer.     Hoot !     Hoot !" 

In  very  low^   tones  he  gave  the  call,   and  waited 


Besiegers  and  Besieged        129 

eagerly  for  what  was  next  to  happen.  Then  he  gave 
vent  to  a  sigh  of  rehef.  The  man  was  deceived.  He 
took  this  other  figure  for  a  comrade,  and  imagining 
that  he  was  too  close,  and  that  the  circle  would  be  too 
open  on  the  farther  side,  he  rose  to  his  knees  and 
crawled  to  the  right,  till  he  was  out  of  sight  and  hear- 
ing. After  that  Dick  waited  no  longer.  lie  crept 
forward,  stealthily  and  slowly  at  first,  till  he  was  yards 
nearer  the  stockade.  Then  he  increased  the  pace  till 
he  judged  that  he  was  clear  of  the  inner  line  of  sen- 
tries, and  almost  within  hailing  distance  of  his  friends. 
But  still  he  wculd  not  neglect  the  precautions  he  had 
dccitled  were  necessary. 

"I  feel  inclined  to  jump  to  my  feet  and  make  a  bolt 
fitr  it."  he  thought.  "But  no,  that  wouldn't  do.  and 
I  might  easily  be  shot  from  the  stockade.  Slow  and 
sure,  said  the  tortoise,  and  I'll  stick  to  the  motto." 

None  but  those  who  have  been  placed  in  a  similar 
position  can  fully  appreciate  the  temptation  to  which 
he  was  put.  the  huge  desire  which  took  hold  of  him  to 
rise  to  his  feet  and  run.  Dick  felt  as  the  man  does  who 
is  in  full  view  of  the  rifles  of  unscrupulous  marauders, 
without  cover  for  many  yards,  uncertain  whether  to 
expect  a  hail  of  bullets  or  not.  A  sense  of  dignity,  the 
feeling  that  it  would  not  be  courageous  to  run,  holds 
one  steady;  but  the  temptation  is  there.  There  is  a 
queer  little  feeling  in  the  small  of  the  back,  and  if  one 
does  not  run,  and  conquers  the  temptation  to  act  as 
a  craven,  one  longs  to  look  round,  to  make  sure  that 
no  vi(jlence  is  alx>ut  to  be  attemi)tcd.  That  was  how 
our  hero  felt,  and  who  will  blame  him?  He  was  so 
near  a  refuge  and  friends  now.  and  seemed  clear  of  the 


130    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

enemy.  It  would  be  so  easy  to  run.  However,  he 
stuck  to  his  motto,  and,  still  remaining  on  his  knees, 
slowly  crept  closer  to  the  stockade. 

Hist !  Something  caught  his  ear,  and  he  sat  down 
to  listen  for  some  minutes  till  he  felt  sure  that  he  was 
mistaken.  Then  he  crawled  on  again,  till  of  a  sudden 
he  swung  round,  and,  with  a  cry  of  dismay,  leaped  to 
his  feet.  There  was  a  man  following  him,  a  figure 
bent  almost  double,  silently  coming  up  with  him.  Had 
he  but  known,  it  was  the  identical  sentry  whose  signal 
he  had  answered  and  who,  still  suspicious,  had  returned 
on  his  tracks.  He  was  within  three  yards  when  Dick 
saw  him,  and  the  cry  had  hardly  left  his  lips  when  the 
man  was  upon  him. 

With  all  the  ferocity  of  a  tiger  he  leaped  at  his 
enemy,  native  sword  in  hand,  and  as  the  fingers  on  his 
left  hand  closed  on  Dick's  shoulder,  the  murderous 
weapon  swooped  upwards  in  a  stroke  meant  to  transfix 
his  body.  But  again  the  white  man  had  good  fortune. 
His  guardian  angel  seemed  to  be  on  the  watch  that 
night,  for  the  point  caught  the  sling  of  his  rifle,  and 
turning  aside  the  whole  blade  flashed  beneath  his  arm 
till  the  hand  which  held  it  came  with  a  thud  against 
his  side. 

"Dog!"  shouted  the  man,  thinking  he  had  accom- 
plished his  purpose. 

Dick  made  no  answer.  He  knew  that  if  he  did  not 
hold  that  arm  which  gripped  the  sword  he  was  as  good 
as  dead,  and  quick  as  lightning  he  took  the  only  step 
to  retain  it.  As  the  blade  flew  beneath  his  arm,  and 
the  man's  hand  crashed  against  his  side,  he  brought 
his  own  arm  down,  jamming  the  native's  hand  there. 


THE   nLAUli  FLAbllEU   ULNKAHl 


Besiegers  and  Besieged        131 

Then  he  shook  his  hand  from  his  shoulder,  and  hfting 
his  own  blade,  plunged  it  with  all  his  force  into  his 
enemy's  breast. 

Hardly  had  the  man  fallen  at  his  feet,  when  a  series 
of  shouts  rang  out,  ritlcs  l)lazed  from  the  stockade,  and 
ere  he  could  move  half  a  dozen  natives  were  upon  him. 
For  Dick  had  made  one  miscalculation.  He  had  for- 
gotten that  he  was  dealing  with  men  who  were  from 
their  youth  trained  as  warriors,  men  accustomed  to 
the  trail,  to  forest  warfare,  and  to  every  form  of  arti- 
fice. He  had  not  recollected  that  these  Ashanti  fighters 
had  the  acutest  hearing  and  phenomenal  sight,  and  he, 
a  mere  white  man,  accustomed  to  city  life,  had  imag- 
ined that  he  could  creep  through  them.  Bitterly  was 
he  mistaken,  for  one  had  first  suspected  the  presence  of 
an  enemy  and  had  then  followed,  while  a  comrade,  dis- 
covering the  fact  in  some  subtle  manner,  had  come  on 
his  tracks,  five  others  following.  Gradually  they  had 
gained  on  the  chase,  so  that  when  Dick  struck  their 
leader  down  the  rest  were  almost  on  him.  Again  there 
was  a  shout,  taken  up  by  a  score  of  voices  around  the 
clearing,  and  in  a  second  a  fierce  hand-to-hand  contest 
had  commenced. 

"The  white  man!  The  white  man!  Take  him 
alive!     Do  not  kill  him!" 

It  was  James  Langdon's  voice,  coming  from  close  at 
hand,  for  the  news  that  some  one  was  astir  had  l)een 
sent  to  him  and  he  had  followed. 

"I  give  you  all  warning.  Do  not  slay  him,  if  you 
value  my  friendship." 

It  was  a  fortunate  thing  for  our  hero,  but  not  so  for 
the  natives.     Flinging  their  arms  aside  they  sprang 


132    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

forward  to  bear  him  to  the  ground.  But  if  they  had 
orders  not  to  harm  him,  he  had  no  scruples  in  kilhng 
them.  The  fear  of  captivity  and  of  its  consequences 
was  before  him.  He  struck  out  bhndly  with  his  sword, 
and  when  that  was  jerked  from  his  hand  he  opened 
fire  with  his  revolver,  his  shots  punctuating  the  shouts 
of  his  opponents.  But  it  was  a  one-sided  engagement, 
and  the  darkness  was  against  his  chances.  Already 
he  had  almost  been  borne  to  the  ground  by  a  huge  na- 
tive, who  had  leaped  on  his  shoulders.  But  a  sudden 
turn,  the  shortening  of  his  pistol  arm.  and  a  quick  and 
effective  shot,  had  relieved  him  of  the  burden.  Then 
two  of  the  enemy  had  snatched  at  his  legs,  while  a 
third  aimed  for  his  back,  and  missed  it  by  the  merest 
chance.  He  was  about  to  spring  again,  while  others 
were  there  now  prepared  to  take  his  place  should  he 
not  succeed.  Dick  was  helpless.  He  had  fired  his 
last  cartridge,  and  though  he  used  the  butt  of  the  re- 
volver and  his  fist,  he  was  already  outmatched.  The 
end  came  quickly.  The  native  behind  him  caught  his 
rifle  in  both  hands,  and  then  put  out  all  his  strength. 
Dick  lost  his  balance,  and  dragged  by  the  sling  was 
soon  in  a  heap  on  the  ground. 

"Captured !  We  have  him  !  Tie  his  legs  and  carry 
him  off  before  the  other  dogs  can  come!'' 

There  was  such  a  hubbub  that  the  words  were  hardly 
heard;  but  the  Ashantis  knew  what  was  required  of 
them.  They  slipped  a  noose  over  his  hands  and 
shoulders,  and  were  drawing  it  tight  when  there  was  a 
rush  of  feet  in  their  direction. 

"Dere!     Dey  here.     Come  long!     Fire!" 

Dick  could  not  believe  his  ears.     He  was  alreadv  be- 


Besiegers  and  Besieged        i  3  3 

ing  dragged  away,  when  Johnnie's  voice  broke  upon  his 
ear.  Then  a  number  of  dark  figures  burst  in  upon  his 
captors,  and  a  fierce  conflict  began. 

"Here  I  am.  Tliis  way!"  he  shouted,  as  he  strug- 
gled with  the  enemy.     "Here!     Over  here!" 

The  gahant  fellows  from  the  stockade  raced  after 
him,  Johnnie  Ix^ing  at  their  head.  In  his  hands  he 
held  a  rifle,  and  without  doubt  it  was  his  frantic  wield- 
ing of  this  weapon  which  saved  the  situation.  With 
a  crash  the  stock  fell  upon  the  head  of  the  native  who 
had  hold  of  our  hero,  causing  him  to  fall.  Another 
movement  and  the  same  fate  overtook  another.  There 
was  a  scream  of  alarm,  a  few  heavy  blows  struck  by  the 
knives  of  the  men,  and  Dick  was  free,  unharmed,  and 
in  their  midst,  boiling  over  with  gladness  and  exulta- 
tion. They  picked  him  up  as  if  he  had  been  a  child, 
and  bore  him  in  triumph  to  the  stockade. 

"Bang  de  door,"  said  Johnnie,  taking  upon  himself 
the  command  of  the  station.  "Now,  yo  men,  jest  put 
de  massa  down — so.     Not  throw  him  down,  silly!" 

Utterly  oblivious  of  the  fact  that  the  Ashanti  gold- 
miners  could  not  understand,  he  gave  his  commands  in 
a  tone  of  comical  haughtiness  which  at  another  time 
would  have  caused  Dick  to  roar  with  laughter.  This 
was,  indeed,  a  new  side  to  Johnnie's  character.  But 
our  hero  was  to  learn  more. 

"Now  man  de  walls,  and  shoot  dem  debils  down," 
shouted  Johnnie,  taking  his  rifle  and  running  to  an 
aperture.  "Dat  so.  You  quite  understand.  Den  me 
see  to  massa." 

He  was  delighted  to  have  him  back,  safe  and  sound, 
and  stood  there  wringing  his  hand  till  it  seemed  that 


134    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

he  could  never  stop.  However,  Dick  was  a  practical 
fellow,  and  it  was  a  long  time  since  he  had  been  in  the 
stockade. 

"Food  and  something  to  drink,  Johnnie,  like  a  good 
fellow,"  he  cried.  "Run  along  and  see  what  you've 
got,  while  I  take  a  look  outside.  Now,"  he  said,  when 
he  had  reached  the  walls  and  had  discovered  the  posi- 
tion of  the  chief  of  the  miners,  "wdiat  is  your  report? 
Any  sign  of  them?" 

"They  have  gone  back  to  their  posts.  We  knew 
that  they  were  watching,  and  we  almost  expected  an 
attack.  We  were  looking  for  you  too,  chief.  You 
can  leave  us  to  guard  the  place  till  you  are  ready  to 
come  back  to  the  walls.  Go  and  eat,  for  you  must  be 
hungry." 

Dick  undoubtedly  was,  and  fell  to  eagerly  upon  the 
good  things  which  were  placed  on  the  folding  wooden 
table  in  the  hut.  For  Johnnie  was  general  caterer  as 
well  as  stoker,  and  in  addition,  it  seemed,  commander 
of  the  post  at  a  pinch.  He  placed  a  bottle  of  water 
near  at  hand,  some  yams,  and  a  cut  of  tinned  beef,  and 
on  these  our  hero  fell. 

"Yo's  make  de  most  of  dem  water,"  said  Johnnie, 
as  he  watched  his  master  drink,  for  it  had  been  a  hot 
day,  and  never  a  drop  of  fluid  had  Dick  been  able  to 
touch.  "Make  de  most  of  him,  for  dere  little  more. 
De  jars  nearly  dry,  and  where  we  fill  dem  again?  So 
drink  him  to  the  velly  bottom." 

"What !     No  water  in  the  place !    Run  out  already !" 

No  wonder  that  he  was  again  dismayed,  for  Dick 
had  such  a  young  head  upon  his  shoulders  that  he 
could  not  be  expected  in  a  matter  of  a  couple  of  months 


Besiegers  and  Besieged        135 

or  more  to  correct  all  the  faults  coniniittcd  by  his  pre- 
decessor. True,  the  site  of  the  stockade  was  excellent 
in  nearly  every  respect,  for  it  commanded  a  wide,  open 
space  on  every  side,  and  could  not  be  fired  into  from 
the  crest  above.  It  boasted  a  moderate  amount  of 
shade,  for  tliere  was  a  small  group  of  trees  within  the 
compound,  and  in  addition,  it  enjoyed  a  delightful 
iTceze.  which  kept  it  cool,  and  drove  the  fever  away. 
It  had  its  failings,  however.  It  could  not  stand  a 
siege,  for  the  simple  reason  that  it  was  perched  well 
up  above  the  stream  in  which  the  gold  was  washed. 
and  there  was  no  well.  A  store  of  water  was  carried 
up  every  day,  and  that  store  had  disappeared  with 
rapidity  since  the  miners  had  taken  post  at  the 
stockade. 

"I  ought  to  have  thought  of  that  before.  We  should 
have  had  a  tank  or  something  of  the  sort,"  cried  Dick, 
with  vexation,  quite  forgetful  of  the  fact  that  the  near- 
est point  at  which  such  a  thing  could  be  obtained  was 
Elmina. 

"Yo's  dink  him  up  and  smack  de  lip."  said  Johnnie. 
"Xo  use  make  fuss  now  dat  dere  no  water  left.  Hab 
to  leave  den,  dat's  all.     Get  way  into  de  forest." 

"And  meet  these  two  hundred  Ashanti  warriors. 
No,  thank  you,  Johnnie.  Come,  tell  me  how  all  this 
has  happened.  I  was  away  in  the  forest,  and  thought 
I  heard  the  alarm  sounded.  Then  there  were  shots, 
and  when  I  came  to  the  clearing  and  could  see.  there 
were  Ix^dies  lying  around,  and  you  were  holding  the 
enemy  in  check.  I  heard  then  that  two  hundred  more 
are  expected,  and  waited  till  a  doul)le  ring  was  thrown 
round  us.     Then  I  came  on.     And  that  reminds  me. 


136    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

It  was  a  plucky  rush  you  made,  and  just  saved  me. 
Thanks,  very  much." 

"Noding,  massa.  We  wait  and  we  expect  yo  come. 
We  guess  you  not  seen  by  de  rascal  enemy,  and  we 
know  yo  not  rush  here  when  it  light.  De  moon  com- 
ing up.  See  um.  Den  we  guess  you  come  jest  after 
it  get  dark.  We  get  ready,  and  den  rush.  Simple  as 
eatin*." 

"And  about  the  alarm  ?" 

"Not  so  simple,"  was  the  candid  answer.  "Johnnie 
seem  to  tink  dere  trouble  coming.  Eber  since  he  meet 
de  Ashanti  war  men  he  say,  'Dere  ruction  ahead,  dere 
goin'  ter  be  smash  up  of  de  mine.  Johnnie  look  out 
from  de  hill  when  massa  gone,  every  single  day,  and 
sit  dere  waitin'  wid  de  tom-tom.  Lucky,  too,  massa, 
for  we  not  hab  velly  much  time.  Me  see  black  chap 
come  out  of  de  tree,  and  den  dat  half-white  man  who 
fight  us  before.  Johnnie  beat  de  tom-tom  till  all  de 
miners  hear.  Den  he  run  to  the  stockade  and  pick  up 
de  rifle.  He  see  first  one  and  den  all  de  men  racing  in, 
and  after  dem  de  enemy.  Dey  rush  right  up  to  de 
gate.     But  Johnnie  stop  um." 

The  comical  little  fellow  turned  his  eyes  up  to  the 
moon  and  squinted  at  Dick.  He  threw  his  chest  out, 
stood  to  his  fullest  height,  and  put  on  an  air  of  dignity. 

"How?"  asked  Dick. 

"Like  dis.  De  men  run  in  de  gate,  and  de  last  man 
bang  um  to  and  bolt  um.  Den  we  stand  at  the  peep- 
hole and  wait.  Two  of  de  rascal  come  runnin',  and 
Johnnie  take  good  aim.  Bang !  When  me  look  'gain 
both  lying  on  de  face,  dead's  muttin'." 

"And  you  took  command  of  the  stockade?" 


Besiegers  and  Besieged        137 

"Y's  guessed  right,  niassa.  Me  luiM  de  reins.  Me 
shout  de  ortlers,  and  de  men  brave  and  beliahe  dem- 
selbe^.  We  lire  sK)\v  and  careful,  same  as  massa  tell 
us,  and  we  still  plenty  cartridge  left." 

"And  practically  no  water.  That  is  the  most  serious 
news,  and  makes  it  impossible  to  remain  for  long 
where  we  are.  How  long  will  the  moon  be  up, 
Johnnie?" 

"Soon  down,"  was  the  answer.  *Tn  four  hour,  I 
tink." 

"Then  we  will  consult  with  the  chief.  Fetch  him 
along,  Johnnie." 

Dick  strolled  out  into  the  compound,  and  having 
made  sure  that  all  was  quiet  and  that  the  men  were 
alert,  he  took  his  seat  close  to  the  gate,  with  Johnnie 
and  the  two  chief  miners  Ijeside  him.  It  was  a  strange 
place  and  a  stranger  hour  to  have  a  meeting,  and  as 
remarkable,  too,  was  the  fact  that  Dick  could  only  just 
make  himself  understood  and  gather  the  meaning  of 
the  natives,  while  Johnnie  was  useless  at  the  task. 
Still.  Dick  was  able  to  act  as  interpreter,  for  he  could 
speak  a  little  Fanti,  and  there  is  only  slight  difference 
between  that  and  the  Ashanti  dialect.  Tersely  the 
young  leader  of  the  party  told  his  news,  how  he  had 
overheard  the  half-caste,  and  how  two  hundred  Ashanti 
warriors  were  expected. 

"They  will  eat  us  up."  said  the  chief,  with  an  invol- 
untary shudder  when  he  heard  what  Dick  had  to  say. 
"They  will  pour  like  a  river  up  to  the  gates  of  the 
stockade,  and  we  shall  not  stop  them.  They  will  swarm 
over,  and  we  shall  be  slain." 

"While  if  we  are  successful  during  the  day  they 


138    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

would  certainly  succeed  at  night,  chief.  Then  there  is 
the  question  of  the  water," 

The  chief  shook  his  head  dolefully. 

"We  are  as  good  as  dead,"  he  said,  ''and  glad  I  am 
that  one  can  meet  with  death  only  once.  As  well  sally 
out  now  and  end  the  matter." 

"And  be  shot  down  like  birds,"  was  Dick's  answer. 
"But  I  agree  that  the  situation  is  serious.  We  should 
be  better  off  were  we  out  in  the  forest,  for  there  we 
could  divide  and  scatter.  Again,  we  could  make  for 
the  launch  and  steam  down  the  river." 

"If  it  were  possible,"  cried  the  chief,  with  a  look  of 
hope  in  his  face.  "But  how  to  get  away?  These 
foxes  close  round  us.  They  know  that  we  are  secure, 
for  who  could  leave  the  stockade  now?" 

"I  got  in  safely,  thanks  to  your  rush.  Why  can  we 
not  get  out  again?  Can  you  think  of  nothing?  Come, 
man,  we  must  make  an  effort." 

"But  it  was  useless.  The  chief  of  the  miners  could 
make  no  suggestion.  He  and  his  men  were  ready  to 
follow  their  leader  to  the  death,  and  he  could  rely 
upon  their  courage.  But  they  could  offer  no  plan  of 
escape.  They  came  of  a  race  noted  for  its  ferocity  and 
courage,  a  race  trained  to  arms,  but  they  were  more 
inclined  to  the  ways  of  peace. 

"Then  I  will  tell  you  what  I  think,"  said  Dick,  when 
many  minutes  had  passed,  and  the  four  had  stared 
silently  at  one  another  as  they  sat  in  the  rays  of  the 
moon.  "W>  agree  that  death  waits  for  us  here, 
whether  by  the  knives  of  the  enemy  or  by  water  famine. 
Then  we  must  go.  The  question  becomes  when  and 
how  ?     I  will  tell  you.     We  must  distract  the  attention 


Besiegers  and  Besieged        139 

of  these  men.  and  this  is  how  I  propose  tliat  \vc  shall 
do  it.  First  of  all.  however,  are  there  any  here  who 
can  creep  like  a  snake  through  the  grass  and  so  escape 
discovery  ?" 

The  chief  threw  his  head  up  proudly.  "That  is  one 
of  the  first  lessons  we  learned  as  boys."  he  said.  "There 
is  not  a  man  here  who  cannot  do  that." 

"Then  this  is  my  plan.  As  we  sit  here,  the  launch 
lies  straight  over  the  crest  of  the  hill  where  some  of 
the  enemy  crouch.  I  believe  that  so  far  our  toats  are 
undiscovered,  and  that  being  so.  the  enemy  will  not 
expect  us  to  take  that  direction,  seeing  that  it  is  the 
roughest  and  the  steepest.  It  would  be  natural  for  us 
to  strike  to  right  or  left  of  the  stockade,  for  the  attack 
has  been  in  the  very  centre." 

There  was  a  giimt  of  acquiescence  as  Dick  paused 
to  look  at  the  chiefs. 

"Our  chief  speaks  wisely  for  one  so  young."  said  the 
leader.  "But  we  know  him  now,  and  can  expect  good 
advice.     Say  on." 

"We  decide,  then,  to  flee  by  way  of  the  crest.  Then 
we  must  make  a  demonstration  in  the  opposite  direc- 
tion. We  will  choose  that  to  our  right,  being  the 
farthest  from  the  crest.  We  will  send  out  four  of 
our  best  and  most  active  men  just  after  the  moon  dis- 
appears, with  orders  to  get  as  close  as  possible  to  the 
enemy  and  then  fire  on  them.  These  men  will  retire 
within  five  minutes,  when  they  will  be  joined  by  more 
who  also  will  fire.  We  will  move  swiftly  from  right 
to  left  and  back  again,  and  the  men  can  l)e  so  dis- 
posed that  there  will  be  no  danger  of  hurting  one 
another.      That    should    alarm    the    enemy,    and.    in 


140    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

any  case,  it  will  attract  the  attention  of  those  in 
that  quarter." 

"They  will  take  alarm  and  think  that  we  are  at- 
tempting to  break  through.  They  will  call  in  all  the 
men,"  said  the  chief,  with  assurance.  'T  begin  to  fol- 
low your  meaning." 

"While  the  firing  is  going  on  two  of  our  number 
who  are  accounted  brave" — Dick  noticed  that  the  chief 
again  tossed  his  head  into  the  air — "will  creep  to  the 
top  of  the  hill  and  over  it.  They  will  be  given  a  ciuar- 
ter  of  an  hour  to  see  that  it  is  clear.  They  will  not  be 
satisfied  till  they  have  killed  the  sentries  or  shown  that 
they  are  absent.     Then  one  will  return  with  the  news." 

"And  the  whole  party  will  follow  him,"  burst  in  the 
chief,  eagerly. 

"Hardly  that,"  said  Dick.  "They  are  still  out  in 
the  open,  and  they  must  retire.  Even  then  the  ruse 
might  be  discovered  if  the  firing  were  not  continued. 
The  enemy  would  suspect  a  ruse  and  would  send  out  to 
intercept  us." 

"Then  what  is  your  plan,  chief?"  asked  the  native, 
his  curiosity  aroused  to  the  fullest.  "The  men  retire 
and  keep  up  the  firing,  you  have  a  man  on  the  crest 
and  the  report  that  all  is  clear.  Surely  there  will  be  no 
need  for  delay.     Haste,  rather,  is  what  is  called  for." 

"Quite  so,"  agreed  Dick,  quietly.  "The  men  retire, 
and  as  they  pass  into  the  stockade  they  each  take  up  a 
bundle  of  gold  dust,  for  it  would  never  do  to  leave  our 
profits  to  these  robbers.  Then,  led  by  the  man  who 
has  descended  the  ridge,  the  miners  will  creep  over  the 
crest  and  descend  the  hill.  They  will  make  for  the 
track  in  the  forest,  and  will  gain  the  boats  as  soon  as 


Besiegers  and  Besieged        141 

possible.  Arrived  there,  they  will  get  the  fire  going 
aboard  the  launch,  hook  on  one  of  the  boats,  or  two  if 
they  are  necessary,  and  wait  for  their  comrades.  I 
said  that  one  of  the  latter  would  be  the  scout  who  lay 
on  the  crest." 

"That  man  will  be  myself,"  said  the  chief,  calmly. 
"A  leader  should  always  take  the  post  of  danger  and 
protect  his  men.  We  are  not  warriors,  but  we  know- 
how  to  act." 

"You  have  proved  it  already.  You  will  be  one  of 
those  two.  I  shall  be  the  other.  No.  Do  not  let  us 
argue.  Your  own  words  prove  that  I  have  taken  the 
proper  course.  As  leader,  I  remain  till  all  are  gone, 
and  I  shall  keep  up  a  fire  with  my  rifie  till  all  are  clear. 
Then  I  will  take  steps  to  prevent  these  robbers  from 
carrj'ing  off  even  a  stick  of  firewood,  and  will  rejoin 
you  on  the  hill.  Afterwards  we  will  fight  our  way  to 
the  boats." 

He  could  see  their  eyes  gleaming  there  in  the  moon- 
light as  only  the  eyes  of  a  dark-skinned  man  can  gleam. 
The  plan  pleased  them,  that  was  clear,  for  when  Dick 
had  explained  it  to  them  to  the  best  of  his  ability,  all 
in  turn  gave  expression  to  their  approval  with  grunts, 
the  meaning  of  which  was  undoubted.  All  seemed  to 
think  that  they  were  in  a  very  dangerous  position,  and 
that  if  this  plan  would  not  help  them  then  nothing 
would. 

"Better  to  die  sword  in  hand  than  at  the  stroke  of  a 
vile  executioner,"  said  the  chief.  "We  could  sally  out 
and  surrender.  But  would  that  help  us?  We  should 
be  well  received  and  well  fed.  The  march  to  Kumasi 
would  l)e  by  easy  stages,  and  then  the  trouble  would 


142    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

commence.  Better  to  die  as  brave  men,  than  to  be 
slain  as  cravens,  with  our  arms  bound  to  our  backs." 

There  was  undoubted  truth  in  the  statement,  and 
the  knowledge  of  it  heartened  them  all.  They  would 
behave  as  brave  men,  and  would  meet  this  danger  with 
daring.  If  they  prospered,  well  and  good ;  if  not,  then 
they  would  not  live  long  to  mourn  the  misfortune. 

"And  at  any  rate,  I  shall  have  made  sure  that  that 
robber,  James  Langdon,  does  not  reap  any  advantage," 
said  Dick.  "The  men  will  take  every  ounce  of  gold, 
and  if  hard  pressed  will  open  the  sacks  and  scatter  the 
dust.  As  for  the  place  itself,  the  half-caste  shall  not 
find  a  home  ready  built  for  him  should  he  elect  to  take 
up  the  work  of  gold-mining.  He  shall  find  the  land 
as  it  was,  clear  of  all  houses." 

There  was  a  look  of  determination  on  his  face.  He 
rose,  gripped  each  of  the  chiefs  by  the  hand,  and  went 
forward  to  speak  to  the  men,  for  time  was  pressing. 
In  an  hour  the  moon  would  wane,  and  in  two  it  would 
be  time  to  set  out.  Better  make  the  attempt  at  the 
earliest  moment,  and  so  have  ample  time  for  escape. 


CHAPTER  IX 

Deceiving  the  Enemy 

"You  have  been  the  round  of  the  men  and  have  told 
them  our  plan?"  askeci  Dick,  some  minutes  later,  as 
the  chiefs  came  to  his  side  again.  "Is  there  one  who 
does  not  understand?"' 

"Not  one.  white  chief.  Two  are  to  go  to  the  crest 
behind  when  you  shall  say  that  the  time  for  that  move- 
ment has  come.  Those  two  will  be  myself  and  my 
brother  here.  If  there  are  men  up  there  they  shall  die. 
Those  who  pass  to  the  front  of  the  stockade  know  their 
orders  well.  Each  will  attempt  to  find  an  enemy,  and 
will  fire.  He  will  fire  into  the  forest  if  he  can  see 
none,  and  will  retire  slowly,  firing  occasionally  all  the 
while.  His  duty  also  is  to  run  from  side  to  side,  so 
that  it  may  trouble  the  enemy  to  know  where  we  are 
coming.  But  gradually  the  miners  are  to  collect  closer 
to  the  right,  and  we  hope  the  enemy  will  gather  there, 
too.  If  all  is  well  with  us  by  then,  you  will  know,  for 
one  will  return.  Then  you  will  pass  on  to  the  men  in 
front.  They  will  retire,  and  we  shall  make  for  the 
forest — that  is.  all  but  myself." 

Dick  expressed  his  satisfaction,  and  was  about  to 
turn  away  when  Johnnie  came  forward  to  speak  to 
him. 

143 


144    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

"What  Johnnie  do?"  he  asked. 

"You  will  lead  the  men  to  the  road  through  the 
forest,"  said  Dick.  "Once  you  reach  the  launch,  get 
your  fire  going  and  steam  up.  Then  lay  off,  with  a 
boat  attached,  if  you  think  the  launch  will  not  carry  all 
of  us.  See  that  the  gold  is  packed  on  board,  and, 
above  all,  destroy  the  other  boats.  Beat  them  to  pieces 
and  sink  them  in  the  stream,  where  they  will  not  block 
your  path.  Wait  and  be  ready  for  those  who  follow. 
The  chief  and  myself  may  have  to  run  for  it." 

"And  why  me  not  stay  to  help  massa?"  demanded 
the  little  black  fellow,  earnestly.  "We  know  de  path 
in  de  forest.  Me  quick,  and  can  help.  Why  me  not 
stay?" 

"Because  in  this  matter  of  our  escape  every  man 
must  carry  out  the  task  for  which  he  is  best  fitted.  We 
rely  on  you,  Johnnie,  to  get  steam  up.  If  you  fail, 
what  will  happen  to  us  all  ?" 

"Um !  Me  see  well  'nough  now,"  was  the  answer. 
"Me  go  right  'nough.  But  me  rather  stay,  massa. 
Me  always  want  to  help." 

Dick  patted  him  on  the  back,  for  he  had  long  ago 
seen  that  Johnnie  was  a  faithful  fellow,  and  had  taken 
his  master  into  his  special  favour.  He  did  not  trouble 
to  seek  the  cause,  but  knew  that  it  was  a  fact — the  little 
man  had  been  proving  his  devotion  to  him  in  a  hundred 
ways  since  they  two  had  been  left  alone  at  the  gold- 
mine. But  had  Johnnie  been  asked,  he  would  have 
quickly  supplied  a  reason. 

"Me  lob  Massa  Dick,"  he  would  often  murmur  to 
himself.  "He  not  like  some  of  dese  white  men  who 
comes  to  de  coast.     Dey  velly  young  often — jest  like 


Deceiving  the  Enemy         145 

him — and  dey  tink  dat  dey  oh  so  much  finer  dan  de 
poor  black  man.  So  dey  am ;  but  no  need  kick  and 
swear  at  um.  ]\Iassa  not  hke  dat.  He  say.  'Please, 
Johnnie,'  nice  and  friendly,  when  he  want  him  food. 
And  he  never  forget  'Tank  you.  Johnnie.'  Dat  what 
me  like.  Me  work  for  man  like  dat.  And  massa  velly 
fine  young  fellow.  He  brave.  He  make  friend  el)ery- 
where — same's  Alassa  Pepson  and  de  fat  Dutchman. 
Dey  his  broders,  who  lob  him  same's  Johnnie." 

It  was  a  clear  explanation,  and  no  doubt  was  per- 
fectly truthful.  Indeed,  there  is  little  doubt  that  a 
little  more  thought  on  the  part  of  the  white  man  would 
often  result  in  better  relations  between  himself  and  the 
man  of  darker  complexion.  Youth  and  inexperience 
are  no  excuse  for  harsh  dealing  and  bitter  words,  for 
sneers  and  open  scoffing.  The  black  man  needs  special 
treatment.  He  can  be  ruled  easily  and  well.  He  can 
be  made  a  faithful  and  contented  servant,  and  there 
are  none  more  fitted  to  be  his  masters  than  are  English- 
men. But  whatever  the  black  may  be,  he  is  a  fellow 
human  being,  and  deserves  common  kindness  and 
courtesy,  till  he  has  proved  himself  unworthy  of  either ; 
and  a  little  care  in  such  matters — more  care  than  is 
always  given — would  perhaps  lead  to  better  relations 
in  our  Indian  dominions. 

"Me  go  wid  de  first  lot.  den."  said  Johnnie.  "Time 
massa  reach  de  launch  she  hab  steam  fit  to  bust." 

"Then  off  you  go  to  the  hut,  and  bring  me  along  that 
drum  of  kerosene  oil  we  use  for  the  miners'  lamps. 
Wait,  though.      I'll  go  with  you." 

He  trudged  off  to  the  hut.  and  tlicre  for  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  he  and  the  little  black  stt^kcr  were  hard  at 


146    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

work,  feeling  sure  that  the  miners  would  meanwhile 
hold  all  secure.  Indeed,  there  was  little  to  fear,  for  the 
moon  was  still  up,  though  it  was  now  close  to  the 
summit  of  the  tree-tops,  and  would  soon  fall  below  the 
forest  and  be  hidden.  Still,  while  it  was  light,  move- 
ment on  their  part,  or  on  that  of  the  enemy,  would  be 
madness. 

''Now,  Johnnie,  smartly  does  it,  as  the  sailors  say," 
cried  Dick,  as  they  entered  the  hut.  "We  will  have 
that  small  lantern  alight,  and  then  we  will  commence 
operations.  I  am  going  to  lay  a  little  supper  for  Mas- 
ter James  Langdon,  expert  thief  and  murderer.  I  will 
leave  him  a  little  legacy  which  will  hardly  please  him. 
Got  the  lantern?  Then  bring  all  the  picks  and  spare 
mining  tools.  Bring  everything,  in  fact,  likely  to  be 
of  use  in  the  mines,  and  now  held  in  our  stores.  Pile 
them  in  the  centre  of  the  floor  here  close  to  the  drum." 

The  native  looked  up  in  astonishment,  but  flew  at 
once  to  carry  out  the  order.  It  took  very  little  time, 
indeed,  for  the  stores  held  in  the  hut  were  not  very 
large  or  diverse.  There  were  just  sufficient  spare  parts 
to  replace  a  few  breakages — enough,  in  fact,  to  keep 
the  mine  going  in  its  then  primitive  condition,  and  till 
it  had  shown  whether  it  was  valuable  or  not.  The 
various  articles  were  dumped  down  in  the  centre  of 
the  hut,  while  Dick  busied  himself  with  throwing  there 
all  the  odds  and  ends  of  clothing  hanging  to  the  walls, 
scraps  of  paper,  and  inflammable  articles. 

"Now  for  the  gold/'  he  said.  "We  have  it  in  bags 
already,  and  have  merely  to  divide  it.  Let  me  see. 
There  are  twelve  miners,  and  they,  with  our  two  selves, 
make  fourteen.     Subtract  two,  for  the  chief  and  my- 


Deceiving  the  Knemv         147 

self,  who  remain  behind,  and  that  leaves  twelve.  Twelve 
bags,  Johnnie,  do  yoti  hear?" 

The  native  grinned.  He  began  to  see  a  joke  in  all 
this  hurry  and  bustle.  He  darted  towards  the  store  of 
gold,  which  was  kept  in  small  canvas  bags,  and  helped 
Dick  to  divide  it  up.  There  was  not  a  large  quantity, 
though  the  mine  had  done  remarkably  well.  Still,  so 
rich  is  the  ore  in  Ashanti  that,  thanks  to  the  work  of 
the  miners  and  Dick's  care,  the  store  was  of  great 
value. 

'"Me  laugh,  ha!  ha  I  ha  I  You  see  de  face  ob  dat 
half- white  scum,"  cried  Johnnie.  "He  lob  de  gold. 
He  say  now  to  himself.  'Me  soon  wring  de  neck  ob 
all  dem  fellers,  and  special  of  de  white  man  whom  me 
hate  like  pisin.  Yes,  me  turn  dem  out,  and  den  me 
set  Oder  boys  to  work.  Yes.  fine  game  me  play.  Get 
shaft  dug.  ground  open,  all  de  labour  done.  Den  walk 
in.  find  house,  plenty  gold,  stockade,  gun,  eberyting.' 
Golly!  he  make  bit  mistake  dis  time.  He  find  nest 
clear,  p'raps.  All  de  eggs  cooked,  de  old  birds  flown 
'way,  and  all  velly  hot.  No  gold,  no  food,  noding. 
Him  cuss  and  swear.  Him  rabe.  Him  say.  'Hang 
dat  Dick  Stapleton.  Me  kill  um  by  little  inches  when 
me  hab  de  feller.'  How  Johnnie  like  to  stay  and  see 
him  go  crazy." 

"Thank  you,  I'd  rather  be  far  away,"  said  Dick, 
with  a  laugh.  "Mister  James  Langdon  is  a  gentleman 
who  would  kill  me  with  less  compunction  than  he 
would  tread  on  a  beetle.  No,  thanks.  No  staying  for 
me. 

"No  Johnnie,  neider.  tank  you  all  same,  massa.  Me 
get  to  de  steamer,  and  yo  see.     \\'hen  yo  come,  she 


148    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

fairly  jumpin',  so  ready  to  go.  Yes,  me  break  up  de 
Oder  boats  and  hab  all  ready.  Make  no  trouble. 
Johnnie  know  what  to  do." 

"Then  let's  place  these  bags  in  a  row  just  inside  the 
door  of  the  stockade,"  said  Dick.  "We'll  put  the  lamp 
there,  too,  so  that  the  light  cannot  be  seen  outside,  but 
so  that  the  men  can  distinguish  the  bags.  Then,  as 
they  retire,  they  will  pick  one  up  and  go  up  the  hill. 
That's  all  clear.     Come  along." 

Ten  minutes  later  they  had  laid  the  wealth  of  the 
gold-mine  at  the  door  of  the  stockade,  and  each  man 
had  been  brought  to  the  position  and  been  given  full  in- 
structions. 

"You  can  trust  the  matter  to  them  entirely,  white 
chief,"  said  the  leader  of  the  miners.  "You  must  have 
seen  that  they  are  honest,  and  besides,  all  have  an  in- 
terest, and  if  one  happened  to  be  a  robber,  the  others 
would  soon  arrest  him." 

"Then  I  will  complete  my  arrangements.  I  see  that 
the  moon  is  almost  down.  Has  there  been  any  move- 
ment amongst  the  enemy?" 

"They  have  crept  a  little  closer,"  was  the  answer. 
"We  did  not  fire,  as  it  did  not  seem  necessary.  They 
have  drawn  in  their  circle  out  here  in  front,  and  I  be- 
lieve that  they  have  brought  one  or  two  men  from  the 
crest." 

It  was  comforting  news,  for  if  the  enemy's  position 
were  known,  the  task  of  the  defenders  would  be  easier. 

"They  know  that  our  case  is  desperate,"  thought 
Dick,  "and  they  have  come  in  closer  to  keep  us  in. 
They  will  not  make  a  rush  themselves  after  what  I 
heard  them  say.     Then  at  the  very  first  our  men  should 


Dccei\ing  the  Kncmy         149 

be  able  to  locate  them  and  clri\c  tlicm  back.     Cio<xl! 
Now  for  the  last  preparation." 

He  went  off  to  a  corner  of  the  stockade,  and  came 
staggering  back  with  a  small  barrel  over  his  shoulder, 
while  Johnnie  followed  with  a  square  case. 

"Place  it  there  carefully,"  said  Dick,  as  they  arrived 
close  to  the  gate.  "Now  break  it  open,  and  unpack  the 
contents." 

The  materials  in  the  l)Ox  were  rapidly  exposed  to 
view,  and  one  by  one  they  handled  rockets  of  enormous 
size,  detonators,  and  fuses,  for  an  assortment  of  ex- 
plosives had  been  brought  to  the  mines.  Dick  took  the 
end  of  a  pick  and  pried  the  lid  off  the  cask.  Then  he 
tore  off"  his  hat. 

"Hold."  he  said  to  Johnnie.  'That's  right,  and 
keep  well  away  from  the  lamp.  It's  gimpowder,  and 
wouUl  send  us  up  to  the  sky.  That's  the  way.  Johnnie; 
now  put  the  barrel  down  and  hold  the  hat." 

He  had  filled  his  hat  with  the  shining  black  grains, 
and  now  he  arranged  the  barrel  a  few  feet  within  the 
stockade,  covered  it  with  an  old  cloth  which  he  had 
saturated  with  kerosene,  and  then  placed  the  rockets 
and  other  explosives  on  top.  Meanwhile  the  lamp  was 
kept  at  a  respectful  distance.  By  now  the  moon  had 
fallen  below  the  tree-tops,  and  already  the  light  had 
faded  to  such  an  extent  that  it  was  difficult  to  see  more 
than  a  few  feet.  It  was  time  to  begin  moving,  and 
again  a  call  brought  all  the  garrison  to  the  gate. 

"This  is  the  bomb  which  I  hope  will  help  us."  said 
Dick,  a  grim  smile  on  his  lijis.  "Look  at  it  there,  gun- 
powder and  lx)mbs.  \'ery  well,  then ;  I  have  showed 
it  so  that  vou  will  not  stumble  on  to  it.     Let  each  one 


150    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

now  lie  down  at  the  gate.  When  I  give  you  the  order 
you  will  all  file  out,  and  on  your  return  you  will  find 
the  gold  bags  where  they  are  now,  and  the  lantern 
beside  them.  Each  will  take  a  bag  and  retire  to  the 
back  of  the  stockade.  There  one  of  your  chiefs  will  be 
waiting  for  you,  and  he  will  give  you  the  direction. 
You  will  make  for  the  forest  and  the  boats.  A  last 
warning.  Do  not  get  too  close  to  the  enemy.  You 
know  their  position,  and  can  creep  sufficiently  near  to 
make  your  shots  tell.  Shout  to  one  another,  and  make 
it  appear  as  though  a  rush  were  about  to  be  made.  In 
a  quarter  of  an  hour  you  can  begin  to  retire.  Come 
back,  firing  slowly.  When  you  meet  me  I  will  send 
the  word  to  each.  Then  slink  ofif  at  once.  Now, 
Johnnie,  the  drum  of  kerosene." 

He  took  the  cap  full  of  gunpowder,  and  began  to  lay 
a  train,  spilling  the  black  grains  in  a  thick  line  across 
the  grass  towards  the  hut.  He  ran  it  in  through  the 
door,  taking  care  to  keep  the  train  well  to  one  side 
where  his  feet  would  not  touch  it.  Then  he  emptied 
what  remained  in  a  pile  in  the  very  centre.  And 
meanwhile  Johnnie  carried  the  lamp,  giving  just  suffi- 
cient light  to  show  the  way,  and  holding  it  as  far  from 
his  barrel  of  kerosene  as  possible.  And  now  there  re- 
mained but  two  things  to  do.  There  were  a  few  drops 
of  water  left  in  the  bottle,  drops  to  which  the  black 
had  drawn  Dick's  attention  without  avail.  He  took 
them  now  and  threw  them  on  his  little  heap  of  powder, 
stirring  the  mass  with  his  fingers,  and  kneading  it  till 
he  had  the  substance  soft  and  sticky.  Then  he  ar- 
ranged it  in  the  shape  of  a  pyramid,  and,  having  made 
his  "devil."  carried  it  into  the  far  corner  of  the  room. 


Dccci\ing  the  Enemy         i  S  ^ 

He  still  had  a  few  grains  of  powder  left,  and  these  he 
ran  as  a  train  from  the  devil  to  the  clothing  and  odd 
stores  which  lumbered  the  floor. 

''Finished."  he  said  at  length,  surveying  his  work 
with  much  pleasure.     ''Xow  the  oil." 

Taking  the  drum,  he  pulled  the  cork  out  of  the  bung- 
hole  and  let  the  contents  pour  over  the  heap  in  the 
centre  of  the  hut.  He  threw  some  over  the  walls, 
saturating  every  corner  save  the  one  in  which  the  devil 
was  placed.  Then,  carefully  avoiding  the  train,  he 
emerged  from  the  hut,  crossed  to  the  gate  and  repeated 
the  same  process,  spreading  the  inflammable  fluid  all 
round  the  rockets  and  detonators  there,  and  taking  it 
to  the  walls  of  the  stockade,  where  he  again  threw  the 
contents  on  the  woodwork.  That  done,  he  put  the 
drum  down,  and  placed  the  lamp  close  to  the  bags  of 
gold. 

"jMind,"  he  said,  lifting  a  warning  finger,  as  he  stood 
in  the  light,  "you  each  take  a  teg  and  go.  You  leave 
the  lamp  burning,  remember  that.  I  shall  want  it  to 
fire  the  train." 

It  was  time  to  move.  By  now  the  moon  had  sunk 
completely,  and  dense  darkness  reigned  over  the  sur- 
rounding forest  and  the  neighbourhood  of  the  stockade. 
Our  hero  looked  closely  at  his  men.  There  was  an  air 
of  suppressed  excitement  about  them,  but  he  could  see 
no  trace  of  fear.  Indeed,  these  miners  had  already 
proved  that  they  possessed  courage,  and  though  they 
were  not  like  their  countrymen,  for  ever  practised  in 
the  arts  of  war,  yet  they  had  fair  knowledge,  as  their 
behaviour  had  already  shown.  Each  carried  a  rifle  in 
his  hand,  while  a  bag  of  cartridges  dangled  across  his 


152    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

shoulder.  In  addition,  the  short  sword  which  every 
Ashanti  man  wears,  hung  from  the  waist,  ready  for 
hand-to-hand  fighting.  They  sat  on  the  ground  in  a 
circle,  talking  in  whispers  and  waiting  for  the  signal. 

"Time  to  move,"  said  Dick,  easily.  "Open  the 
gates,  chief." 

Silently  and  stealthily,  as  if  they  were  so  many 
ghosts,  the  party  issued  from  the  stockade,  and  soon 
our  hero,  the  two  chiefs,  and  Johnnie,  were  alone. 

"Five  minutes  after  the  first  shot  is  fired  you  will 
move,"  said  their  young  leader.  •  "It  will  take  three 
more  to  reach  the  crest,  and  then " 

"It  shall  be  cleared,"  whispered  the  chief,  with  de- 
termination in  his  voice.  "My  comrade  and  I  have 
sworn  that  we  will  slay  all  who  lie  there.  Trust  to  us 
to  do  the  deed  without  a  sound,  and  to  return  in  time. 
We  will  make  sure  that  none  are  left  to  spy  upon  us." 

Five  minutes  passed  slowly,  and  still  there  was  no 
sound.  Though  the  four  peered  from  the  stockade, 
intent  upon  piercing  the  darkness,  and  observing  the 
movements  of  their  comrades,  there  was  nothing  to  be 
seen.  The  ground  outside  might  as  well  have  been 
untenanted.  It  was  tr>'ing  work  waiting  there  for  the 
sound  of  a  shot.  The  seconds  were  like  minutes,  so 
slowly  did  they  seem  to  go.  Dick  could  hear  his  own 
heart  thudding,  could  hear  the  deep  breathing  of  the 
chiefs,  while  ever  and  anon  the  weak  rays  of  the  lamp 
showed  him  the  white  of  Johnnie's  eyes,  as  he  turned 
them  towards  the  sky.  Ah!  It  was  a  shout  which 
broke  the  trying  silence. 

A  shout  of  alarm,  coming  from  the  lips  of  one  of 
the  enemy.     And  quickly  following  upon  it  came  the 


Dccci\ing  the  Enemy         153 

sharp  report  of  a  rille  and  a  human  scream,  the  cry 
of  some  unhappy  native  who  had  been  hit.  After  that 
there  was  a  medley  of  calls  and  loud  reports.  Shouts 
and  cries  of  rage  and  excitement  came  from  the  enemy, 
rirtes  flashed  and  roared,  while  the  muzzle-loaders  of 
the  Ashanti  attackers  bellowed  as  they  sent  their  load 
of  slugs  towards  the  stockade.  The  air  above  the  en- 
closure sang  with  missiles  of  every  description.  Angu- 
lar pieces  of  lead  and  iron,  bullets  of  excellent  forma- 
tion, ironstone  pebbles  and  pieces  of  broken  rock,  hissed 
over  the  hut  and  stockade  in  answer  to  the  fire  of  the 
defenders. 

"Excellent!"  said  Dick,  as  he  stared  from  the  gate- 
way. "They  are  doing  well.  If  I  were  not  aware  of 
the  movement  being  carried  out,  I  should  say  that  the 
garrison  was  making  a  sortie,  or  an  attempt  to  break 
out,  and  that  they  were  trying  to  find  the  weakest  spot 
in  the  ring  thrown  round  them.  Listen  to  the  calls  of 
the  enemy,  and  hark !  there  goes  a  whistle." 

Above' all  the  sound  came  the  shrill  signal,  perhaps 
blown  by  James  Langdon  himself. 

"It  may  be  a  recall  to  the  men  on  the  crest,"  he 
whispered.  "Chief,  it  is  time  for  you  and  your  com- 
rade to  move." 

"We  go.  In  a  few  minutes  you  shall  hear  from  us, 
white  chief." 

Dick  turned  to  see  the  two  brave  Ashantis  passing 
out  of  the  stockade.  In  a  moment  they  were  gone, 
and,  like  their  comrades,  they  made  not  a  sound.  He 
and  Johnnie  were  left  alone  to  listen  to  the  firing  and 
the  shouts  outside,  and  to  strain  their  ears  for  some 
noise,  a  shout  perhaps,  the  firing  of  a  rifle,  to  tell  them 


154    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

that  the  chiefs  had  been  discovered.  But  no  signal 
came  from  the  direction  of  the  crest,  they  had  no  inti- 
mation of  the  fate  which  had  befahen  the  plucky  two, 
till  of  a  sudden  a  figure  rose  at  their  feet,  causing  both 
to  start  back. 

"I  am  sent  by  my  leader,"  said  a  voice.  "The  crest 
is  clear.  There  were  two  of  the  enemy  there.  They 
are  dead.'' 

Dick  could  hardly  believe  his  ears,  and  the  news 
took  a  load  from  his  mind.  If  all  was  clear  on  the 
crest,  then  it  was  time  to  set  the  others  moving.  He 
swung  round  and  addressed  Johnnie. 

"You  stay  here  till  the  bags  are  gone,  then  follow," 
he  said.  *T  am  going  to  join  our  comrades  in 
front." 

When  the  black  stoker  looked  again  his  master  was 
gone,  and  with  a  sigh  and  a  shiver  of  apprehension  he 
sat  down  beside  the  lamp,  and  waited  there  in  silence, 
for  he  and  the  Ashanti  chief  could  not  understand  one 
another.  As  for  our  hero,  he  crept  forward  till  the 
shots  on  either  hand  told  him  that  he  was  amongst 
the  men.  Then  he  sought  one  of  them  and  whispered 
in  his  ear,  with  the  result  that  the  miner  passed  to  left 
and  right,  giving  his  comrades  the  message,  with 
orders  to  pass  it  on.  It  was  wonderful  with  what  in- 
telligence these  Ashantis  carried  out  their  part  of  the 
work.  They  began  to  fall  back  slowly,  firing  at  the 
flashes  of  the  enemy's  rifles,  till  they  were  within  fifty 
yards  of  the  stockade. 

"Now  begin  to  hold  your  fire,"  said  Dick,  and  in  a 
minute  the  shots  lessened.  Another  five  minutes  and 
the  men  were  slinking  back  to  the  stockade,  while  our 


Deceiving  the  Knemy         155 

hero  raced  to  and  fro,  firing-  his  ritle  repeatedly,  so  as 
to  make  the  enemy  think  tliat  the  whole  g^arrison  was 
tliere.  He  fired,  in  fact,  till  his  weapon  was  almost 
too  hot  to  hold,  and  actually  blistered  his  fingers.  And 
then,  when  he  judged  that  all  must  be  clear  of  the 
stockade,  and  at  the  crest  by  now,  he  threw  down  his 
rifle  and  ran.  Dashing  into  the  stockade,  he  hardly 
paused  as  he  snatched  up  the  lamp,  and  went  on  pell- 
mell  for  the  hut.  Leaping  the  train  of  powder,  he  ran 
to  the  far  corner  of  the  building,  and  knelt  beside  the 
"devil."  A  jerk  threw  the  lantern  open,  and  in  a  sec- 
ond he  had  the  candle  in  his  hand.  There  was  no  time 
for  hesitation,  and  at  once  he  held  the  flame  to  the 
devil  till  it  smoked  and  a  few  grains  fizzled.  But  it 
did  not  fire  at  once.  A  little  more  heat  was  required, 
for  he  had  overdamped  the  powder,  and  in  his  over- 
strung condition  the  extra  time  entailed  in  providing 
that  heat  was  maddening.  At  any  time  the  enemy 
might  suspect.     They  might  even  then  be  within  the 

stockade.     He  would   then Ah !     It   had   fired. 

The  devil  was  well  alight,  throwing  out  its  pungent 
fumes,  till  they  gripped  Dick's  throat.  He  could  move. 
The  act  was  accomplished.  The  place  was  as  good  as 
fired. 

He  rose  to  his  feet,  stamped  on  the  candle,  and  stole 
to  the  door.  He  would  have  been  out  in  the  open  in 
another  second  had  not  something  suddenly  caused 
him  to  throw  himself  full  length  on  the  floor,  where  he 
lay  in  deep  shadow,  while  just  in  front  of  him  a  few 
feeble  rays  from  the  spluttering  devil  passed  through 
the  door  and  showed  him  tw-o  figures.  One  was  the 
half-caste,  while  beside  him,  bending  low  as  they  crept 


156    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

across  the  compound,  was  a  native,  the  ghnt  from  his 
enormous  blade  coming  to  Dick's  eyes. 

"A  ruse!  We  have  lost  the  birds,"  he  heard  the 
half-caste  growl  huskily,  as  if  his  anger  were  choking 
him.  "But  they  are  close.  I  know  they  are  near  us. 
Hah  !     Look  there,  chief.     A  fire.     Look !  a  fire !" 

They  were  quite  close  by  now,  and  Dick  saw  them 
both  start  back.  Then,  as  they  caught  sight  of  the 
spluttering  devil  and  took  in  the  situation,  he  saw  them 
turn  to  run. 

"A  mine!     A  mine!"  shouted  the  half-caste. 

Leaping  to  his  feet,  he  ran  towards  the  gate  of  the 
stockade,  the  native  abreast  of  him,  and  close  on  their 
heels  came  Dick,  aglow  with  excitement.  He  was 
bent  on  escape.  He  felt  the  doors  of  retreat  closing 
on  him,  and  he  was  determined  to  get  away.  Sudden- 
ly James  Langdon  turned  and  gripped  the  native. 
Then  he  swung  round,  as  if  a  thought  had  occurred 
to  him,  and  he  had  realized  that  there  was  time  yet  to 
save  an  explosion.  Lideed,  that  was  his  thought,  and 
he  at  once  ran  back  to  the  stockade.  An  instant  later 
he  saw  Dick's  figure  bounding  towards  him  in  the 
darkness.  He  gave  vent  to  a  shout,  and  then  crashed 
up  against  a  boulder  which  happened  to  lie  there,  for 
our  hero's  fist  had  struck  him  full  on  the  chest.  The 
blow  almost  staggered  Dick,  too,  but  he  recovered  his 
balance  in  a  moment,  and,  swinging  round,  dealt  the 
native  a  fierce  stroke  on  the  chin,  sending  him  reeling. 
After  that  he  was  off  like  lightning.  He  was  out  of 
the  gate  ere  a  second  had  passed,  and,  darting  round 
the  stockade,  was  soon  clambering  up  to  the  crest.  Nor 
did  he  halt  till  he  had  reached  the  summit. 


Decci\  ing  the  Enemy         157 

"Rest  a  moment,"  said  the  voice  of  the  chief.  "I 
heard  the  commotion,  and  1  am  glad  t(j  report  tliat  the 
men  who  followed  you  into  the  place  lied  duwn  the  hill. 
See  the  smoke  coming  from  the  hut.  And  there  are 
the  flames.     We  will  move  when  you  are  ready." 

Some  five  minutes  later  the  two  set  off  for  the  forest, 
the  native  leading,  for  he  knew  the  way  well,  and  had 
this  enonnous  advantage  over  his  young  English 
leader,  that  he  could  see  on  such  a  night  so  well  that 
they  never  once  found  themselves  in  a  part  where  the 
difficulties  of  the  track  haulked  their  further  progress. 
Since  the  day  on  which  the  expedition  had  first  ar- 
rived, Dick  had  often  taken  the  short  cut  to  the  forest 
which  the  agent  had  then  used,  and  he  knew  how  steep 
and  difficult  it  was  in  parts,  and  how  much  care  it  called 
for,  even  when  the  easiest  descents  were  selected.  Had 
he  had  to  find  his  way  down  alone  on  this  night,  he 
would  probably  have  broken  a  limb,  or  lost  his  foothold 
and  rolled,  certainly  to  be  dashed  senseless  before  he 
reached  the  bottom.  Then,  too,  it  was  not  a  time  for 
hurry,  such  a  dark  night  as  this.  But  they  had  no 
choice.  They  could  already  see  the  glare  of  the  flam- 
ing stockade  in  the  sky.  They  could  hear  the  shouts 
of  their  enemies,  and  they  knew,  the  native  far  better 
than  did  Dick,  that  already  his  countrymen  would  be 
on  the  track. 

"Once  in  the  forest  we  shall  be  safe,  I  think,"  he 
said,  speaking  as  easily  as  if  he  had  made  no  unusual 
efforts,  though  our  hero  was  so  short  of  breath  that 
he  gasped. 

"Then  we  will  put  out  all  our  strength  to  reach  tha^ 
place." 


158    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

By  now  they  were  near  the  foot  of  the  rocky  hill, 
and  presently  they  were  running  steadily  across  the 
level.  At  length  they  reached  the  edge  of  the  forest, 
where  they  halted,  Dick  to  throw  himself  on  the  ground 
and  gasp  there  for  breath. 

"A  fine  bonfire  for  our  enemies,"  laughed  the  chief, 
exulting  now  that  he  had  left  the  worst  of  the  danger 
behind.     "How  is  it  that  there  is  no  explosion?" 

No  explosion!  The  bomb  had  failed!  Dick 
looked  up  suddenly,  his  fatigue  forgotten  in  an 
instant. 

"Perhaps  we  walked  through  the  train  and  scattered 
the  powder,"  he  said  breathlessly.  "Yes,  I  fancy  that 
must  be  the  secret.  But  it  may  go  yet.  The  oil  should 
carry  the  flames." 

A  little  later,  when  both  were  rested,  there  was  a 
violent  concussion  in  the  distance,  the  report  shaking 
the  trees.  An  instant  before,  a  mass  of  burning  ma- 
terials shot  high  up  above  the  crest,  while  a  series  of 
loud  explosions  took  place,  as  the  rockets  and  detona- 
tors burst  in  mid-air.  It  brought  a  roar  of  exultation 
from  the  two  standing  beside  the  edge  of  the  forest,  a 
roar  which  changed  as  quickly  into  one  of  consterna- 
tion. For  however  successful  the  bomb  had  proved, 
however  well  it  had  destroyed  the  stockade,  and  per- 
haps some  few  of  the  enemy,  the  flames  it  sent  into 
the  air  lit  up  the  surroundings  and  showed  them  that 
if  James  Langdon  and  his  men  had  once  been  taken  in 
they  were  not  to  be  so  easily  caught  again ;  and,  more- 
over, that  on  this  occasion  they  were  bent  on  retrieving 
their  misfortunes.  For  racing  down  the  crest  and 
across  the  open  ground  came  some  forty  Ashanti  war- 


Decci\  ing  the  Enemy  159 

riors,  their  guns  flung  this  way  and  that,  and  bare 
swords  in  their  hands.  They  had  discovered  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Hying  garrison,  and  they  were  in  full  chase, 
coming  like  a  pack  of  hounds  who  hold  the  scent  and 
see  victory  before  them. 

"Lead !"  said  Dick,  shortly,  as  they  swung  into  the 
forest.  "I  have  my  wind  now,  and  can  keep  up  at 
any  pace." 

It  was  well  for  him  that  he  could  do  so,  for  the  track 
was  not  an  easy  one.  Still  there  is  no  stimulus  so 
strong  as  that  which  promises  a  swift  and  terrible  fate 
to  the  one  who  lags  behind.  Dick  knew  what  to  expect 
if  he  were  captured,  and  he  went  on  without  flagging. 
Briars  and  vines  slashed  him  across  both  face  and 
hands,  lacerating  the  skin.  Thorns  plucked  him  by 
his  clothing  and  tore  it  to  shreds.  He  struck  his  knees 
against  fallen  tree-trunks,  and  his  feet  against  rotting 
boughs.  He  plunged  through  narrow  swamps  and 
rivers,  and  dragged  his  legs  through  mire  which  threat- 
ened to  hold  him.  And  all  the  time  the  shouts  of  the 
hunters  came  in  his  wake.  Talk  of  the  music  of  the 
hounds!  Dick  learned  during  that  wild  dash  through 
the  heart  of  this  dense  forest  to  appreciate  the  bitter- 
ness of  that  statement  from  the  point  of  view  of  the 
quarry  fleeing  for  his  very  life.  He  knew  now  how 
the  call  of  the  pursuers  made  the  blood  run  cold,  how 
the  yelp  of  Ashanti  warriors  made  the  hair  rise,  and 
the  limbs  stand  almost  still  with  sheer  fright.  Yes. 
he  was  the  hare  this  time,  and  had  there  teen  a  man  at 
his  heels,  flogging  him  with  a  whip  of  knotted  steel 
wire,  or  goading  him  with  spikes,  he  could  not  have 
run    harder.      The    perspiration    poured    from    him. 


i6o    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

Blood  dripped  from  many  a  cut  and  laceration,  while 
his  breath  came  in  short  gasps. 

'Tlurrah !  Him  massa.  Wait  now,  you  young 
debil.  Yo  wait  till  I  say  go.  Hold  de  fire  till  I  tell 
yo.     Hear?     Can't  yo  hear  dem  fellers  comin'?" 

Once  again  did  Dick  learn  to  bless  the  sound  of  that 
voice.  He  dashed  along  beside  the  creek,  saw  the 
launch  lying  some  feet  away,  and  flung  himself  into 
the  water.  The  chief  followed  suit  without  hesitation, 
and  in  a  minute  they  were  pushing  out  into  the  stream, 
the  two  fugitives  lying  flat  upon  the  deck,  breathless 
and  exhausted  with  their  exertions. 

And  close  on  their  heels  came  the  enemy,  maddened 
with  rage,  bent  on  securing  the  whole  party.  As  the 
launch  slipped  into  the  stream  and  rounded  the  corner, 
first  one  and  then  some  thirty  of  the  warriors  came 
tearing  along  the  path,  their  dark  figures  hardly  dis- 
tinguishable in  spite  of  the  fact  that  the  sky  was  getting 
lighter.  But  they  could  see  clearly.  They  caught 
sight  of  the  launch,  and  with  yells  of  fury  made  ready 
to  follow  and  effect  her  capture. 


CHAPTER  X 
A   Native   Fleet 

"Yo's  no  need  for  to  worry,  massa."  sang  out  Johnnie, 
severely,  as  Dick  raised  his  head  from  his  hands  and 
looked  along  the  deck  anxiously.  F'or  the  fact  that  it 
was  empty,  save  for  the  chief  and  himself  and  three 
others,  caused  him  sudden  anxiety.  "Yo's  get  de  wind 
again,  and  Johnnie  see  um  all  riglit.  Wait  dar !  Back 
um !     Yo  black  boy  ober  dar,  swing  um  round  so !" 

He  was  in  the  well  where  the  engine  lay.  and  as  he 
ga\e  the  orders  Dick  saw  by  the  light  of  the  furnace 
that  he  had  shut  off  steam.  Then  he  waved  to  the  man 
at  the  helm,  and  the  launch  gently  fell  across  the 
stream.  And  there  she  lay,  shrouded  in  darkness,  and 
hidden  from  the  sight  of  the  pursuers  by  the  bank 
round  the  angle  of  which  they  were  congregated.  But 
whether  they  could  see  her  or  not,  the  enemy  answered 
James  Langdon's  shout  with  a  volley  from  their  muz- 
zle-loaders. 

"That's  um.  Fire  away,  you  debils.  See  some  fun 
soon.  See  what  Johnnie  and  his  broders  do.  Listen 
to  um  cussin'." 

He  roared  with  delight,  for.  as  the  reports  of  the 


1 62    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

scattered  volley  subsided  the  voice  of  James  Langdon 
again  came  to  the  ear. 

"Wade  in!"  he  called  out  in  the  Ashanti  tongue. 
"It  is  only  a  stream,  my  brothers,  and  in  that  way  we 
shall  have  them.  They  must  not  escape.  They  have 
all  the  gold  with  them." 

"Yo  watch!"  said  Johnnie,  suddenly,  as  a  series  of 
loud  splashes  told  that  the  enemy  were  attempting  to 
carry  out  the  movement.  "You  see  fun  now,  massa. 
Hi,  yo  black  boys  !     Fire  de  rifle." 

It  was  laughable,  ridiculous,  but  very  wonderful  after 
all,  to  see  Johnnie  there,  giving  commands  in  his 
quaint  English,  commands  which  could  not  be  under- 
stood by  a  single  one  of  the  miners.  And  yet  this 
little  stoker  had  a  head  on  his  shoulders,  and  had 
shown  that  he  was  deserving  of  much  trust.  For  if 
he  did  not  know  the  Ashanti  tongue,  by  means  of 
many  jerkings  of  his  arms  and  a  huge  amount  of 
energy  he  could  explain  his  plans,  and  get  the  men  to 
fall  in  with  them.  And  now  Dick  could  see  that  he 
had  made  good  use  of  the  short  time  given  him  at  the 
launch. 

He  had  had  a  clear  half-hour,  or  a  little  more,  per- 
haps, and  in  that  small  space  of  time  he  had  lit  the  fire, 
had  stacked  the  bags  of  gold,  for  they  could  be  seen 
in  the  cabin,  lying  snugly  under  the  light  of  the  fur- 
nace, and  had  made  his  arrangements  for  defence. 
He  had  posted  his  men  a  little  distance  away,  under 
the  trees,  just  where  they  could  cover  the  enemy  with 
their  rifles.  They  were  lying  in  the  boat  selected  for 
their  transport,  and  in  the  bows  one  of  their  number 
cowered  over  the  small  brass  cannon.     He  had  seen  a 


A    Native    Fleet  163 

giin  before,  that  was  evident,  and  his  eyes  gleamed 
with  excitement.  He  put  an  arm  out.  chitched  a 
bough,  and  moved  the  position  of  the  boat  ever  so  httle. 
Then  came  Johnnie's  excited  shout,  a  spout  of  flame 
burst  from  nine  or  ten  ritles,  and  then  there  was  a 
short  pause,  followed  by  a  flash,  by  the  splutter  of 
powder  at  the  vent,  and  then  by  an  appalling  crash  as 
the  gun  went  off. 

"Put  um  helm  ober.  boy !  Now  give  um  little  steam. 
Gently !     Back  um  !" 

Alcove  the  screams  of  the  enemy,  the  hoarse  Wlows 
of  those  who  had  escaped  the  rifle  bullets  and  the  buck- 
shot with  which  the  gim  had  been  loaded,  for  bags  of 
these  had  been  brought  as  likely  to  be  the  proper  form 
of  missile,  the  voice  of  Johnnie  could  be  heard. 

"Back  um!  Now,  yo  black  debil  in  bow,  hook  um 
on.  Throw  de  painter  1  ]\Iake  up  fast  as  wax.  Now 
gib  um  steam.     Go  'head.     Gib  um  all  she  know  !" 

It  might  have  been  rehearsed.  It  was  marvellous 
to  think  that  all  this  had  been  arranged  by  a  little 
fellow  from  Sierra  Leone,  employed  as  the  stoker  and 
driver  of  a  steam  launch.  Dick  was  dumbfounded. 
But  by  now  he  was  past  expressing  his  feelings,  and 
besides,  he  was  so  exhausted  that  he  could  hardly 
speak.  He  saw,  however,  that  the  chief  command  was 
in  excellent  hands  for  the  moment,  and.  like  a  sensible 
fellow,  he  left  Johnnie  to  conduct  the  flight  till  he  had 
his  strength  again.  And  so  he  lay  flat  on  the  deck, 
listening  to  the  shouts  of  the  pursuers,  getting  now 
farther  and  farther  away,  to  the  husky  voice  of  James 
Langdon,  as  he  raced  through  the  trees,  and  to  the 
mutterings  of  the  native  at  the  engine  of  the  launch. 


164    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

Then  he  smiled,  a  grim  smile  of  amusement  and  of 
exultation,  for  he  had  conquered.  He  had  won  the 
fight,  an  unequal  one,  to  say  the  least  of  it,  and  here  he 
was,  thanks  to  the  splendid  fellows  who  supported  him, 
steaming  away  from  the  mine  without  the  loss  of  a 
single  worker,  with  little  to  mourn  for,  and  with  suffi- 
cient gold  aboard  to  pay  all  wages,  and  leave  a  very 
handsome  margin  with  which  to  reimburse  his  em- 
ployers for  the  burning  of  their  few  spare  stores  and 
their  stockade.  In  addition,  there  would  be  enough  to 
give  a  fine  profit,  and  such  encouragement  that  when 
things  had  quieted  down  and  James  Langdon's  account 
had  been  settled,  the  mine  would  be  worked  again,  and 
he,  Dick  Stapleton,  would  have  certain  employment. 

"De  beggar  follow.  Dey  runnin'  down  in  de  trees. 
Berry  well !  We  stop  dat.  Yo  boys,  back  dere.  Get 
um  guns  ready." 

"Tell  your  men  to  load  and  fire  into  the  trees  when 
my  comrade  gives  the  command,"  said  Dick,  in  the 
Fanti  tongue,  which  all  the  Ashantis  understand. 
"Now,  Johnnie,  tell  me  what  you  want,  and  I'll  pass 
on  the  order.  You  will  command  till  we  reach  the 
river." 

"Tank  you,  massa,"  was  the  answer,  as  the  little 
fellow  swung  round  for  a  moment,  showing  a  smiling 
mouth  and  two  rows  of  gleaming  teeth.  "You  watch, 
and  see  me  gib  dem  pepper.  Me  gib  dem  fellows 
beans." 

He  cut  the  steam  off  just  a  little  till  the  launch 
slowed  down,  and  till  the  Ashantis  on  the  bank  began 
to  overhaul  her.  Meanwhile  all  aboard  the  launch 
maintained   silence.     Then   again    the   native   stoker 


A   Native   Fleet  165 


shouted  a  command,  and  a  hot  musketry  fire  was 
poured  into  the  forest.  At  the  same  instant  the  launch 
started  forward  as  if  she  had  been  hit,  and  with  the 
boat  in  tow  went  racing  down  the  tributary.  Xotli- 
ing  could  stop  her  now.  Bullets  and  slugs  whizzed 
overhead,  and  a  few  struck  the  deck  and  the  sides  of 
the  towing  boat.  But  they  could  not  arrest  the  flight, 
while  the  pursuers  might  shout  and  bawl  as  they  liked. 
The  launch  sped  on  her  way,  causing  the  water  to 
flood  the  muddy  banks  on  either  side,  and  disturbing 
more  than  one  of  the  loathsome  monsters  reclining 
there.  They  came  to  a  bend  suddenly.  She  swung 
round  it,  dashed  for  an  open  reach,  and  shot  out  into 
the  stream. 

"Well  done!"  cried  Dick,  rising  to  his  feet,  and  tak- 
ing his  post  as  leader  again.  "\'ery  well  done,  Johnnie. 
You  are  a  born  commander.  Now,  put  out  into  mid- 
stream and  send  her  ahead.     How's  steam,  my  lad?" 

"  'Xough  to  bust  um,  massa.  Plenty  steam  and  heap 
coal." 

"Then  keep  her  going  while  I  talk  to  the  chief." 

He  went  right  aft,  to  where  the  leader  of  the  miners 
sat  beside  his  comrade,  staring  to  either  hand  and  dis- 
cussing the  flight  with  his  friend.  Within  six  feet  of 
them,  at  the  end  of  the  towing  rope,  lay  the  boat,  with 
ten  men  aboard  her,  all  with  rifles  in  their  hands,  eager- 
ly scanning  the  bank  from  which  the  last  shots  had 
come.  Overhead  the  sky  was  already  distinctly  lighter. 
The  forest  on  either  hand  had  receded  all  of  a  sudden, 
while  there  were  evident  signs  of  coming  day. 

Every  face  atoard  the  two  boats  bore  the  same  ex- 
pression of  contentment,  of  pride,  at  the  success  of 


i66    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

their  efforts.  There  was  even  a  sterner  look,  as  if 
many  of  the  men  would  have  delighted  in  another 
brush  with  the  enemy. 

"Never  fear,"  said  Dick  to  the  chief,  "there  will  be 
more  blows  to  be  struck  yet.  We  have  miles  of  river 
to  traverse,  and  if  the  Ashantis  are  on  the  war-path, 
it  is  more  than  likely  that  we  shall  have  to  run  the 
gauntlet  of  a  few  of  them.    What  do  you  think,  chief?" 

"We  shall  meet  them  on  the  Prahsu,"  was  the  answer. 
"There  will  be  more  trouble  both  for  us  and  for  the 
English  chief.  As  for  these  others  who  have  just  at- 
tacked us,  they  are  beaten.  They  may  cover  their 
heads  and  seek  women  for  attack  after  this.  Men  will 
laugh  at  them.  The  two  hundred  who  are  to  follow 
will  surely  cut  them  to  pieces  if  these  remain  to  tell  the 
tale." 

"Then  we  can  take  it  easily  now.  We  can  reserve 
our  coal,  and  prepare  for  this  other  meeting,  chief. 
Why  should  we  not  run  down  the  stream  at  night,  or 
at  least  down  that  part  known  as  the  Prahsu?" 

"The  scheme  is  a  good  one,"  was  the  answer,  "and 
for  the  white  chief  and  his  servant  it  will  be  as  well  to 
act  as  you  say.  For  us  there  must  be  a  different  ar- 
rangement. Has  our  brother  thought  of  the  fate  which 
will  come  to  men  of  Ashanti  should  they  land  on  the 
far  bank  some  miles  down  this  river  ?  There  the  cow- 
ardly Fantis  live,  and  with  them  we  are  forever  at  war. 
They  would  kill  us  most  certainly." 

Dick  had  not  thought  of  that  before,  and  the  news 
came  as  a  shock  to  him.  If  that  were  the  case,  and 
these  miners  from  Ashanti  would  be  in  danger  lower 
down  the  river,  where  would  they  be  safe  ?    In  Elmina  ? 


A    Nati\c    Fleet  167 

"Then  wc  shall  have  to  part.  T  fear."  he  said,  after 
some  minutes'  thought.  "The  Fantis  swarm  lower 
down  the  stream,  and  thoug-h  some  might  he  friendly, 
others  would  soon  make  an  attack  upon  you.  Where 
can  you  go?" 

"There  are  villages  in  our  own  country  where  we 
shall  be  secure,  white  chief.  Already  the  fighting  men 
will  have  left,  so  that  our  coming  will  not  be  noticed, 
and  there  will  be  none  strong  enough  to  harm  us. 
Then,  as  the  warriors  return,  we  can  leave.  When  all 
is  quiet  we  will  go  to  the  mine  and  commence  work 
again,  for  you  will  return?" 

"I  should  say  that  we  shall  do  that  without  a  doubt," 
answered  Dick.  "The  gold  obtained  has  been  abund- 
ant, and  my  employers  will  come  again  when  the  coun- 
try has  grown  quiet.  Perhai)s  this  trouble  will  die 
down  rapidly,  and  we  shall  be  back  in  a  month  or 
two." 

"You  may.  and  yet  I  doubt  it.  Englishman.  This 
war  has  been  the  thought  of  my  countrj^nen  for  many 
years.  They  long  to  reach  the  coast,  to  have  their 
own  town  there,  where  they  may  obtain  supplies  and 
guns.  Yes,  we  know  that,  for  we  have  listened  to 
their  talk.  And  besides,  our  brothers  are  born  to  fight. 
In  times  of  peace  they  have  little  to  do,  and  so  it  hap- 
pens that  we  are  forever  quarrelling  with  those  who 
live  near  at  hand.  A  few,  like  ourselves,  are  trained 
to  mine,  and  the  king  keeps  us  free  from  interference. 
We  are  necessary,  for  with  gold  the  king  buys  guns 
and  powder,  and  in  our  country  it  is  a  law  that  every 
nugget  found  goes  to  him  as  tribute.  The  dust  be- 
longs to  tlie  diggers,  while  thcKse  who  dare  to  conceal 


i6  8    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

the  nuggets, even  if  they  be  only  as  small  as  the  smallest 
bean,  are  taken  to  Kumasi  and  sacrificed.  Thus,  as  I 
said,  we  can  return  to  the  villages,  and  we  shall  be 
safe  so  long  as  we  can  keep  away  from  the  war  parties. 
For  they  will  know  that  we  come  from  the  mine,  and 
doubtless  the  king,  having  declared  that  he  will  fight 
the  Fantis  and  the  English,  has  given  orders  for  all 
who  worked  there  to  be  slain  or  taken  captive." 

"And  how  do  you  propose  to  avoid  these  war  par- 
ties?" asked  Dick,  anxiously. 

'Tn  this  way.  We  will  steam  on  till  we  are  clear 
of  these  cravens  who  attacked  us,  and  as  the  moon 
grows  near  we  will  tie  up  under  the  bank.  Then,  if 
our  white  chief  agrees,  we  will  serve  out  the  dust,  each 
man  taking  what  is  due  to  him.  Then  we  will  dive 
into  the  forest,  and  will  make  for  Kumasi.  Trust  us 
to  keep  away  from  the  fighters." 

"While  I  shall  have  to  run  down-stream  alone  and 
escape  them  if  I  can." 

"We  would  gladly  come  with  you,"  said  the  native, 
"but  it  would  mean  death  to  us.  If  the  white  chief 
desires  it  we  will  come." 

"No.  I  will  go  alone.  You  have  done  splendidly," 
said  Dick.  "You  have  proved  true  and  more  than 
brave.  I  shall  report  that  to  our  employers.  We  will 
steam  on  for  a  little  while,  and  then  we  will  serve  out 
the  wages.  Later  we  shall  hope  to  meet  again  at  the 
mine." 

Little  did  Dick  giiess  that  this  river  would  be  dyed 
in  many  places  with  the  blood  of  men  ere  the  country 
was  quiet  again,  and  that  the  forests  and  woods  would 
echo  to  the  cheers  of  British  soldiers  ere  King  Koffee, 


A   Native   Fleet  169 

the  arrogant  and  bloodthirsty  potentate  of  Kumasi, 
would  consent  to  withdraw  his  fighters.  He  did  not 
know  that  even  then  telegrams  were  speeding  home  to 
England,  that  the  situation  at  Elmina  and  at  Cape 
Coast  Castle  was  serious  in  the  extreme,  and  that  noth- 
ing but  war  and  rumours  of  war  were  in  the  air.  Little 
did  he  dream  that  he  was  still  within  the  nest  of  a 
hornet,  almost  the  only  man  of  his  colour  still  alive  so 
many  miles  from  the  coast.  How  was  he  to  learn 
that  thousands  of  warriors  were  on  the  march,  and 
that  the  forest  paths  were  teeming  with  men  of 
Ashanti  ?  It  was  enough  for  him  to  remember  the 
danger  from  which  he  had  escaped.  The  memory  of 
it,  and  of  the  successful  defence  and  escape,  filled  him 
with  glee,  and  he  looked  forward  to  the  brush  which 
he  might  have  on  his  way  down  the  Pra  with  a  light 
heart  which  defied  all  thoughts  of  failure. 

Two  hours  later  the  launch  ran  in  to  the  bank,  and 
was  moored  under  the  trees.  Then  the  books  showing 
the  amounts  due  to  the  miners  were  produced,  for  Dick 
had  had  the  care  of  these,  and  had  sent  them  to  the 
launch  in  one  of  the  bags.  There  was  a  pair  of  scales 
also,  and  very  soon  the  portions  were  separated,  four 
ounces  of  gold  going  to  swell  each  little  heap,  as  a 
special  reward  for  the  manner  in  which  the  men  had 
fought.  Then  each  of  the  heaps  was  sewn  up  in  a 
piece  of  canvas,  and  secreted  upon  the  person  of  the 
owner.  The  remainder  of  the  dust  was  stored  in  the 
cabin  again,  and,  that  done,  the  launch  put  out  from 
the  bank,  and  ran  to  the  far  side  of  the  river.  Then, 
with  many  a  cheer  and  shout,  the  Ashanti  gold-miners 
— excellent  fellows  all,  and  very  different  from  their 


lyo    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

warlike  brethren — stepped  ashore,  and  made  off  into 
the  bush.  Dick  and  Johnnie  felt  quite  lonely  when 
they  had  gone.  They  pushed  off  into  the  stream  and 
steamed  away. 

"Better  leab  um  boat  behind,"  said  the  native,  sud- 
denly, after  some  minutes'  silence.  "Suppose  hab  to 
run,  den  boat  hold  um  back.     P'raps  mean  um  dead." 

It  was  an  excellent  idea,  showing  again  that  there 
is  wisdom  to  be  found  in  a  native,  and  that  Johnnie, 
for  all  his  quaint  looks  and  merry  ways,  was  a  thinker. 

"We'll  do  so  certainly,"  said  Dick,  at  once  adopting 
the  advice.  "Look  for  a  spot  where  we  can  hide  her, 
and  which  we  can  pick  out  again  should  we  require  her. 
It  must  be  on  this  bank,  too,  so  we  will  keep  within 
easy  distance." 

It  was  not  until  an  hour  had  passed  that  they  hit 
upon  a  suitable  place.  Then,  at  a  nod  from  the  leader, 
the  launch  swung  in  closer  to  the  bank,  while  Johnnie 
ran  to  the  stern  and  drew  in  the  painter.  He  ran  the 
native  craft  up  alongside  the  launch,  and  hopped  lightly 
into  her.  Then,  as  Dick  put  the  propeller  astern — for 
the  stream  ran  fairly  strong  here — the  native  pushed 
off,  and  guided  the  boat  into  the  shallows.  There  was 
a  massive  tree  there — a  species  of  fern,  growing  to 
the  height  of  thirty  or  forty  feet  perhaps,  and  dropping 
its  abundant  spreading  foliage  like  an  umbrella  all 
round  till  the  tips  trailed  in  the  water.  Johnnie  pushed 
boldly  in,  and  Dick  could  see  the  big  fronds  shaking. 
Then  he  edged  the  launch  closer  in  till  her  nose  dipped 
under  the  leaves,  and  he  heard  her  grate  against  the 
side  of  the  native  craft. 

"Gk)t  um  fast  front  and  back,"  sang  out  the  native. 


A    Native   Fleet  i  7  1 

"Xo  move  um.  whateber  happen.  She  fill  witl  water, 
and  not  sink.  Tree  hold  um  up  nicely.  Yes,  and  no 
one  know  um  dere.  Whole  army  pass,  and  neljer 
guess.     Golly,  massa,  de  berry  place!" 

"And  one  to  find  easily."  answered  Dick.  ''Now, 
hop  along,  and  let  us  get  off.  We've  plenty  of  steam, 
and  I  think  we'll  put  her  hard  at  it.  The  tales  of  these 
warriors  of  King  Koffee  make  me  uneasy,  and  I'm 
anxious  to  get  down  to  the  coast." 

\'ery  soon  Johnnie  appeared  from  amidst  the  leaves, 
and  they  pushed  off  into  the  stream  till  they  reached 
the  centre.  And  there  they  remained  throughout  the 
day,  reeling  the  miles  off  rapidly,  for  they  had  the 
stream  to  help  them. 

''We'll  keep  on  without  a  single  halt  right  down  to 
the  sea,"  said  Dick,  as  he  sat  on  the  edge  of  the  engine- 
well,  eating  a  meal  which  the  native  had  just  cooked. 
"We  know  there  will  be  a  moon,  and  now  that  the 
river  is  broader  we  shall  be  able  to  see  easily.  We'll 
chance  sandbanks,  and  hope  that  none  will  come  in  our 
path.  By  to-morrow  morning  the  natives  should  be 
left  behind,  and  we  should  be  within  reach  of  friends. 
Good  coffee,  Johnnie.  You  are  a  capital  hand  at  other 
thing  besides  making  war  !" 

The  native  stoker  grinned  his  delight  as  he  turned  to 
face  his  master. 

"When  me  so  high  me  learn  to  cook,"  he  said,  with 
a  merry  laugh,  holding  his  hand  out  some  three  feet 
from  the  deck.  "In  my  country  de  women  and  de 
children  see  to  de  food  while  de  men  smoke  and  sleep, 
and  get  strength  for  de  fight." 

"A  queer  way  of  getting  up  one's  muscle,"  laughed 


172    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

our  hero.  "Just  fancy  training  for  school  sports,  or  a 
gymnastic  competition,  in  a  similar  manner !  One 
would  be  rather  soft,  and  hardly  in  the  best  condition." 

"Dere  where  Johnnie  learn  to  fight,"  went  on  the 
stoker.  "Me  go  out  when  me  not  yet  a  man,  and  in 
de  first  battle  me  kill  an  enemy.  He  rush  so" — he 
clambered  from  the  well,  and  demonstrated  the  method 
of  attack  with  such  energy  that  the  launch  rolled — "he 
make  stroke  at  Johnnie's  head,  and  miss  um  mark, 
golly!  by  de  inch.  Den  me  answer.  Me  hit  wid  all 
de  strength  wid  um  club,  and  he  go  whop !  He  fall 
dead  on  de  ground.  Den  me  take  um  head,  and  shout 
de  war  cry." 

He  made  another  attempt  to  bring  the  last  in  reality 
before  his  master,  and  set  the  forests  ringing.  Dick 
clapped  a  hand  over  his  mouth,  and  pushed  him  into 
the  well. 

"Steady,  my  lad,"  he  said.  "There  may  be  an 
Ashanti  army  within  hearing  of  that  call,  and  then 
what  will  happen?  Spin  your  yarn  if  you  wish,  but 
do  it  quietly.     How's  steam  ?" 

A  little  abashed,  but  yet  glowing  with  the  memory 
of  his  victory,  the  native  stepped  to  the  gauge  and  read 
off  the  pressure.  Then  he  shovelled  a  heap  of  coal 
from  the  bunker. 

"Come  night,  and  not  see  so  well,"  he  said,  "Hab 
plenty  ready  to  run  wid." 

About  three  hours  after  that,  dusk  began  to  fall,  and 
for  a  little  while  the  fugitives  were  compelled  to  lie  in 
close  to  the  bank  of  the  river,  for  it  was  densely  dark. 
But  the  time  passed  pleasantly  enough,  for  Dick  had 
his  pipe  alight  for  the  first  time  since  the  previous  day, 


A   Native   Fleet  173 

and  as  he  smoked  it,  watching  tlie  glow  of  the  bowl, 
and  looking  across  to  a  similar  glow  proceeding  from 
the  clay  gripped  Ijetween  the  white  teeth  of  the  native, 
his  thoughts  returned  to  the  stockade.  He  went  over 
all  the  scenes  again,  his  nearness  to  James  Langdon, 
and  the  luck  he  had  had  then.  His  successful  attempt 
to  reach  the  stockade,  and  the  desperate  fight  he  had 
had  on  the  way.  And,  later,  the  retreat,  with  all  its 
numerous  incidents.  He  was  still  thinking  of  it  when 
the  moon  came  up  in  all  her  splendour,  flooding  the 
river  till  it  was  almost  as  light  as  day.  And  then,  for 
the  tirst  time  for  many  an  hour,  he  looked  at  himself, 
and  was  horrified.  His  hands  were  cut  and  scratched 
in  all  directions,  as  doubtless  was  his  face  also.  His 
clothes  hung  in  ribbons  about  him,  while,  by  the  stains 
upon  the  breast  of  his  coat  and  upon  his  shirt,  one 
would  have  thought  that  he  had  been  badly  hit.  But 
that  he  certainly  was  not ;  and  now  he  remembered  how 
the  wretch  who  had  first  attacked  him  outside  the 
stockade,  had  fallen  under  his  own  sword — fallen 
against  the  one  who  struck  the  blow. 

"Time  to  move,"  he  said,  springing  to  his  feet. 
"Steady  ahead.     More.     Let  her  have  it." 

The  native  grinned.  He  wiped  his  hands  with  a 
piece  of  waste  extracted  from  his  pocket,  and  then 
opened  the  throttle.  And  once  he  had  the  launch  mov- 
ing at  full  speed  he  leaned  back  in  contentment,  watch- 
ing his  master  with  one  eye,  while  with  the  other  he 
looked  at  the  smoke  curling  up  from  his  pipe. 

An  hour  later,  as  they  swung  rmmd  a  bend  in  the 
river,  and  came  into  a  long,  straight  stretch,  a  cry  of 
amazement  escaped  them.     The  water  on  the  left  bank 


174    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

was  black  with  native  craft,  while  the  hubbub  of  some 
thousands  of  voices  came  to  their  ears.  But  that  was 
as  nothing  to  the  shouts  which  greeted  the  appearance 
of  the  launch  when  she  came  into  the  straight.  There 
was  a  deafening  burst  of  shouting.  Tom-toms  and 
drums  were  beaten  in  all  directions,  while  the  deep  note 
of  many  a  native  war-horn  was  heard.  For  crossing 
the  stream  was  one  division  of  King  Koffee's  army, 
€71  route  for  the  Fanti  country.  And  of  this  division, 
amounting  to  some  ten  thousand  men,  not  more  than 
a  tenth  were  on  the  water,  for  there  were  insufficient 
boats  within  a  radius  of  many  miles  to  carry  more. 
The  passage  was  being  made  by  detachments,  and  the 
first  crossing  had  just  commenced.  That  there  were 
more  of  the  warriors  ashore  Dick  quickly  learned,  for 
if  there  had  been  shouting  from  the  men  on  the  water, 
the  noise  from  the  jungle  was  vastly  more  pronounced. 
And  then  the  firing  commenced,  though  the  launch  was 
beyond  the  range  of  the  cheap.  Birmingham-made  guns 
owned  by  the  natives.  Still,  the  loud  reports  issuing 
from  the  bush  were  sufficient  tO'  show  what  was  hap- 
pening, while  any  doubt  that  there  could  possibly  have 
been  was  set  at  rest  by  the  manner  in  which  the  surface 
of  the  river  was  struck  and  thrashed  by  the  bullets. 
They  splashed  in  all  directions,  bullets  ricocheting  and 
screaming,  slugs  and  buck-shot  of  native  manufacture 
dropping  heavily  into  the  water,  while  the  numerous 
pebbles  which  were  fired  sank  out  of  sight  at  once. 

Dick  smiled  grimly,  once  he  had  overcome  his  first 
feelings  of  consternation  and  astonishment.  He 
stretched  out  from  his  position  at  the  tiller  and  caught 
up  a  rifle.     Another  movement  and  he  had  three  of 


A    Nati\c    Fleet  175 

tlic  weapons  at  hand,  f(ir  there  was  a  good  supply  on 
hoard.  And  while  he  held  the  tiller  l^etween  his  knees, 
he  jerked  cartridges  into  the  hreeches.  As  for  Johnnie, 
his  niouth  had  opened  in  one  vast  expression  of  aston- 
ishment as  the  natives  canic  into  \iew.  and  for  an 
instant  he  had  changed  ct^lour  under  the  dark  pigment 
of  his  skin.  Then,  glancing  at  his  leader,  and  seeing 
how  he  was  engaged,  the  little  fellow  gripped  his  pipe 
the  tighter  and  threw  himself  upou  his  shovel.  The 
door  of  tlie  furnace  swung  open  with  a  clatter,  and 
Dick  heard  the  grating  of  the  shovel  on  the  narrow 
iron  floor  of  the  engine-well.  A  flash  lit  up  the  stoker's 
figure,  and  Dick  caught  sight  of  a  roaring  fire, 
quenched  a  second  later  with  a  mass  of  coal.  Then  a 
dense  volume  of  black  smoke  swept  out  of  the  low 
funnel  and  went  trailing  overhead  till  it  merged  with 
the  clouds  and  the  trees.  He  glanced  at  the  pressure 
gauge,  and  by  the  help  of  the  moon  saw  that  it  stood 
at  sixty.     Johnnie  turned  to  it  also  and  pointed. 

"Hab  plenty  more  soon,  massa."  he  said.  "Make 
water  bubble  and  fizz.  Boiler  go  bur-r-r-r-r  wid  de 
pressure.     Chimney  velly  hot.     Golly !     Look  at  um  !" 

"Time  to  think  about  a  shot  or  two."  answered 
Dick,  quietly.  "Get  a  couple  of  rifles  and  some  cart- 
ridges, and  load.  Keep  them  handy  to  the  engine. 
Then  go  on  stoking.  By  the  way.  have  we  a  fender 
aboard?" 

"Big  one  forard.  sar.     Where  hab  him?" 

"Right  on  the  bows,  rather  low  down.  Slij^py.  my 
lad." 

They  had  little  time  for  chatter,  and  botli  knew  it. 
The  native  crawled  on  his  hands  and  knees  along  the 


176    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

deck,  and  swung  a  large  rope  fender  over  the  bows, 
securing  it  on  the  very  stem  of  the  launch.  Then  he 
ran  back,  and  the  furnace  door  swung  open  again.  By 
now  the  steam  pressure  had  risen  to  sixty-four,  and  the 
needle  was  slowly  jerking  up.  The  funnel  vomited 
even  more  inky-black  smoke,  while  flames  and  small 
particles  of  coal  flew  into  the  air,  the  latter  raining 
down  on  the  deck.  Meanwhile  the  natives  had  not 
been  idle,  for  after  the  first  shouts  of  surprise,  and  the 
salvo  of  bullets  and  slugs,  the  whole  mass  of  canoes 
had  set  off  across  the  river  to  intercept  the  launch. 
The  consequent  confusion  can  be  well  imagined.  There 
were  then  screams  and  shouts  of  anger.  Boats  became 
locked  together,  and  Dick  saw  some  of  the  crews  strik- 
ing at  one  another  in  their  rage  and  in  their  anxiety  to 
get  clear  of  their  neighbours,  and  have  a  share  in  the 
capture. 

"That  gives  us  a  chance/'  he  said.  "If  they  had 
started  from  the  outside  line  there  would  have  been  no 
doubt  about  the  issue.  Now  it's  touch  and  go.  They 
may  be  lined  across  our  way,  or  they  may  not.  De- 
pends on  the  crews.  As  for  their  firing,  I  don't  care  a 
rap  alx)ut  it.  Those  guns  don't  carry  overfar,  and 
from  what  I  saw  at  the  stockade  I  should  say  that  at  a 
little  more  than  a  hundred  yards  one  would  only  expe- 
rience a  heavy  blow.  At  fifty  the  slugs  would  pene- 
trate.    Hullo !  I  don't  like  those  beggars." 

As  he  spoke  there  was  greater  commotion  amidst  the 
canoes,  all  of  which  were  now  under  weigh,  while  those 
on  the  outside,  the  river  side  of  the  fleet,  had  broken 
clear  of  their  comrades  and  were  pushing  for  the  centre 
of  the  stream.     This,  however,  was  not  what  attracted 


A   Native   Fleet  177 

Dick's  attention,  and  drew  the  remark  from  him.  Jt 
was  the  sight  of  two  native  craft  of  larger  size  which 
suddenly  pushed  from  the  shadow  of  the  bank.  They 
were  crammed  to  overtlowing,  and  carried  big  crews, 
who  knelt  in  a  line  along  each  side.  In  the  centre 
stood  the  warriors,  shouting  and  gesticulating,  and 
fighting  their  way  through  the  mob.  Small  considera- 
tion did  they  give  to  those  who  were  in  their  way. 
Dick  saw  the  warriors  strike  at  their  comrades  with  the 
butts  of  their  firelocks,  and  watched  as  more  than  one 
of  the  smaller  craft  was  overturned.  Then  he  sat 
down  and  took  up  a  rifle. 

"A  shot  might  help."  he  said  quietly.  "How's 
steam?" 

Johnnie  pointed  to  the  indicator  and  looked  proud. 

"Hab  plenty,"  he  said.  "Stoke  um  more  and  perhaps 
um  bust.     Plenty  steam  in  de  biler." 

"Then  get  your  rifle,  and  aim  at  the  rowers  in  the 
first  of  those  two  boats.  Don't  leave  her  alone.  Keep 
on  all  the  while  unless  you  have  to  stoke  again." 

"Not  want  to.  Hab  plenty  steam  and  big  fire." 
answered  Johnnie,  with  a  satisfied  nod.  "Not  hab  any 
more  coal  till  half-hour.  By  den  p'raps  not  hab 
steamer." 

"Perhaps."  answered  Dick,  with  a  smile.  "We're 
going  to  see  to  that.     Out  with  your  rifle." 

Still  gripping  the  tiller  between  his  knees,  while  he 
sat  on  the  edge  of  the  well,  he  took  a  long  and  careful 
aim  at  the  first  of  the  paddlers,  the  one  who  set  the 
stroke  to  the  boat,  and  pressed  the  trigger  when  the 
sights  were  on  him.  Instantly  there  was  a  howl  of 
rage,  and  the  man  dropped  back  on  to  the  rower  behind 


178    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

him,  while  the  whole  lot  came  to  a  halt.  But  it  was 
only  for  a  quarter  of  a  minute.  One  of  the  warriors 
who  stood  close  by  lifted  the  body  and  hove  it  over- 
board without  ceremony.  Then  he  seized  the  paddle 
and  thrust  it  into  the  water.  Crack!  Dick's  rifle  broke 
the  stillness  which  had  followed  the  shout,  and  the  man 
who  had  just  knelt  crumpled  into  a  mass,  the  same  dis- 
order following. 

"Fi^'e  hundred  yards  I  make  it,"  said  our  hero  quiet- 
ly. "Give  them  a  full  sight,  Johnnie,  and  aim  for  the 
centre  of  the  body.  Ah !  A  good  one.  I  think  you 
hit  the  side  of  the  boat  first,  and  then  the  man.  They 
don't  waste  time  aboard  those  craft,  and  human  life 
does  not  seem  to  be  over-valuable." 

By  now  the  launch  and  the  fleet  had  sensibly  de- 
creased the  intervening  distance,  the  latter  making  di- 
rectly across  the  river  Pra,  while  the  former  raced 
down  the  centre  of  the  river.  It  had  become  more 
than  ever  a  question  of  time,  and  the  thought  made 
Dick  redouble  his  efforts.  And  thanks  to  his  shooting, 
the  progress  of  the  two  war  boats  was  greatly  delayed, 
his  bullet  singling  out  the  leading  paddler  every  time 
the  place  was  filled,  till  there  was  a  panic  in  that  part 
of  the  vessel.  Then  suddenly  an  unexpected  thing 
happened.  The  two  aboard  the  launch  had  taken  little 
notice  of  the  firing  which  still  went  on  from  the  bank 
and  from  a  number  of  the  canoes,  and  which  was  of 
greater  danger  to  the  enemy  than  to  them,  for  the 
range  of  the  enemy's  firearms  was  inconsiderable. 
Now,  however,  a  shot  attracted  their  attention.  There 
was  a  louder  report  than  usual,  and  a  bullet  of  large 
size  sped  from  the  fleet,  and  striking  the  funnel,  bored 


A    Native    Fleet  i  79 

clean  through  it,  the  puncture  l)eing  plainly  di^cernihle 
by  the  flames  and  smoke  which  instantly  emerged. 
Dick  started  forward,  till  he  was  stretched  across  the 
after-well,  the  tip  of  the  tiller  in  his  hand,  and  almost 
at  once  there  was  a  second  shot,  followed  by  a  heavy 
thud  behind  him.  and  finally  by  a  splash  out  in  the 
river.  He  turned  to  find  the  tiller  loose  in  his  hand, 
splintered  by  the  missile,  the  fracture  of  the  shaft  hav- 
ing taken  place  an  inch  or  two  in  front  of  the  slot  cut 
for  it  in  the  rudder.  The  steering  gear  was  cut  adrift, 
and  as  he  looked  at  the  shaft  in  his  hand  the  launch 
went  ofif  her  course.  She  shot  to  the  right,  away  from 
the  enemy,  causing  a  scream  of  rage  to  rise  from  a 
thousand  throats.  Then,  as  suddenly,  she  swerved  to 
the  other  side,  till  those  aboard  her  were  almost  rolled 
into  the  water.  She  seemed  to  see  the  enemy  before 
her,  for  she  took  the  bit  in  her  teeth,  and.  with  her 
propeller  thrashing  the  water  behind  her,  went  directly 
towards  them,  a  bow  wave  splashing  up  on  either  hand. 
And  then  the  tone  of  the  Ashantis  changed.  Whatever 
they  were,  they  were  men  of  courage,  and  not  to  be 
frightened  by  a  monster  of  this  sort  speeding  down 
upon  them.  They  had,  for  the  most  part,  never  seen 
a  launch  before,  and  those  who  had.  had  probably  never 
seen  one  in  full  flight.  Yet  they  did  not  flinch.  They 
stood  in  their  boats,  and  such  a  shout  of  triumph  went 
up  that  the  woods  rang  and  rang  a.gain.  Then  their 
guns  opened  with  a  vengeance,  and  a  perfect  storm  of 
missiles  hurtled  towards  the  launch.  They  did  not 
stop  her.  She  did  not  seem  to  notice  the  bullets  splash- 
ing on  either  hand  and  tumbling  on  her  deck.  The 
launch  had  got  out  of  hand,  and  as  if  she  were  tired  of 


i8o    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

life  and  roused  to  desperation  by  the  pressure  of  steam 
which  she  carried,  she  went  on  her  mad  course,  rushing 
down  to  doom  and  destruction. 


CHAPTER  XI 
Running  the  Gauntlet 

"That    stoking    bar,    Johnnie!      Quick!      For    your 
life!"     • 

Dick  could  not  wait  to  explain,  for  the  situation 
was  one  which  demanded  instant  action.  When  he 
had  recovered  from  his  amazement  at  the  result  of  the 
unlucky  shot  from  the  forest,  and  had  seen  that  the 
tiller  was  broken,  he  had  no  time  to  reflect  that  but  for 
the  movement  which  he  had  made  a  moment  before  he 
would  have  been  killed  by  the  very  bullet  which  had 
wrought  the  mischief.  Action,  instant  and  effectual, 
was  required,  and  his  eye  had  at  once  sought  for  a 
substitute.  Suddenly  he  remembered  the  iron  bar  used 
for  stoking  the  fire,  and  as  he  shouted  for  it  he  pre- 
pared to  place  it  in  position.  With  a  bound  he  was 
on  the  deck  right  aft.  and  kicking  the  butt  of  the  frac- 
tured shaft  from  behind,  shut  it  out  of  its  socket.  Then 
he  gripped  the  rudder  post  and  twisted  it  with  all  his 
strength,  contriving  to  head  the  launch  for  the  centre 
of  the  stream.  Two  or  three  seconds  later  the  native 
was  beside  him,  and  as  Dick  held  the  post  the  bar  was 
pushed  into  the  socket. 


I  82    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

"Hab  um  now !  Get  over  oder  side  plenty  quick. 
Put  um  over,  massa." 

Dick  did  so.  with  a  heave  which  again  caused  the 
launch  to  roll  till  water  spurted  through  her  scuppers, 
while  the  two  aboard  crouched  on  the  deck  and  held  on 
for  their  lives.  Then  he  set  her  on  a  new  course,  turn- 
ing her  head  diagonally  across  the  stream. 

"Get  to  the  rifle,"  he  said  sharply.  ''And  first  lay 
mine  here  so  that  I  can  grip  them.  That's  right. 
Crouch  in  your  engine  well  so  as  to  avoid  the  bullets. 
Do  you  hear  ?     Go !" 

Johnnie's  eyes  had  asked  a  question.  He  had  as 
good  as  said  to  his  master  when  the  caution  to  sit  in 
the  engine  well  had  been  given,  "And  what  massa  do? 
He  not  crouch.  Plenty  ob  cover  for  Johnnie,  but  what 
about  massa?"  But  Dick  brushed  aside  his  question 
with  one  word,  and  proceeded  to  fix  the  bar  between 
his  knees,  as  he  had  done  with  the  wooden  tiller, 

"Let  'em  shoot  at  it  again,"  he  said,  "and  I  guess 
the  bullet  won't  do  much  harm.  In  any  case  it  was  a 
fluke,  and  not  a  bad  attempt  to  pot  me.  Hah !  That 
got  one  fellow.  I  shall  have  to  play  with  these 
men." 

As  he  ran  the  launch  across  towards  the  far  bank, 
slanting  her  down  stream  all  the  while,  he  had  seen 
that  the  fleet  of  canoes  was  now  spread  out  across  the 
river,  and  though  there  were  fewer  of  their  boats  on 
the  far  side,  and  a  narrow  opening  still  remained  there, 
yet  the  path  to  the  sea  was  barred.  He  therefore 
steered  for  the  far  side.  But  a  plan  to  get  free  was 
forming  in  his  brain,  and  he  watched  for  a  chance  to 
carry  it  out,  his  eye  riveted  on  the  two  war  canoes. 


Running  the  Gauntlet        183 

''It's  those  fellows  I  want  t<^  (lo(lo;c,"  he  said.  "I 
wonder  how  we  sliould  fare  if  we  ran  into  one  of 
them." 

He  was  thinking  of  charging  04ie,  and  measured  the 
size  of  the  stout  launch  against  that  of  each  one  of  the 
nati\e  craft. 

"We're  about  the  same  length."  he  said,  "and  as  to 
weight  it's  a  toss-up.  She's  crammed  with  men.  and 
we've  engines  and  a  boiler  aboard.  There's  nothing 
in  it.     All  depends  on  how  we  hit  her.     All  right!" 

There  was  something  ominous  in  those  last  two 
words.  They  meant  much,  and  the  quiet  way  in  which 
the  helmsman  of  the  launch  looked  round,  the  set  ex- 
pression of  his  face,  showed  that  he  meant  to  choose 
well  and  make  the  most  of  his  opportunities. 

"We've  steam  to  drive  us,  and  plenty  of  it,"  he 
thought.     "That  gives  us  an  advantage." 

Once  more  he  put  up  his  rifle,  and  for  three  or  four 
minutes  peppered  the  enemy.  But  on  this  occasion 
he  directed  his  shots  to  the  boats  at  the  far  side  of  the 
river,  now  very  close  at  hand. 

On  the  part  of  the  enemy  there  had  been  a  wild 
endeavour  to  close  in  as  the  launch,  with  her  tiller  shot 
away,  ran  down  towards  the  near  bank,  and  this  rush 
had  resulted  in  some  of  the  craft  being  upset.  Then, 
as  Dick  fitted  the  iron  bar  and  steered  away  again,  a 
still  madder  rush  was  made  for  the  far  side.  And  in 
this  the  two  war  canoes  were  hardly  as  successful  as 
they  had  been.  They  were  too  much  hampered  by 
their  comrades,  and  so  it  happened  that  they  were  sep- 
arated widely  from  one  another,  one  only  being  well 
on  its  way  across  the  stream.     The  second  had  barely 


184    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

reached  the  middle,  and  as  he  fired  Dick  turned  his  eye 
to  it  every  now  and  again. 

"We  shall  have  our  chance,"  he  thought.  "She's 
got  away,  and  as  she  paddles  faster  than  the  smaller 
fry,  she's  leaving  an  opening  behind  her.  I'll  give  her 
a  minute  more,  and  then " 

"See  that  boat?"  he  called  out  to  Johnnie.  "Well, 
watch.  I  shall  swing  round  in  a  few  seconds  and 
steer  in  behind  her.  Let  her  crew  know  that  you  have 
a  rifle.  Keep  at  it  without  ceasing,  even  after  we've 
passed,  for  I  have  to  work  the  tiller.  Ready?  Over 
she  goes !" 

He  might  have  been  running  his  launch  in  a  regatta 
race,  so  calm  was  he.  There  was  a  smile  on  his  face, 
for  Dick  had  long  got  over  the  sensation  of  fear  which 
the  sight  of  the  enemy  had  at  first  caused  him.  The 
difficulty  with  the  tiller  had  roused  him,  and  now,  for 
the  life  of  him,  he  could  only  look  upon  the  whole  ad- 
venture as  a  race,  a  race,  it  is  true,  which  meant  life  or 
death  for  him,  but  one  nevertheless  which  stirred  his 
blood  and  brought  all  the  sporting  instincts  of  the 
Englishman  within  him  to  the  surface. 

"A  close  thing.  Any  one's  game!"  he  said,  as  he 
swung  the  tiller  over,  and  turned  the  launch  on  her 
heel,  spinning  her  round  till  the  water  on  either  side 
was  white  with  foam.     "Now  for  it!" 

The  little  vessel  had  obeyed  the  movement  of  her 
new  tiller  with  remarkable  celerity.  She  might  have 
been  a  torpedo  lx»at  by  the  way  in  which  she  behaved. 
She  felt  the  pull  of  her  rudder,  and  as  if  she  were  a  liv- 
ing thing  she  spun  round  in  a  sharp  curve,  the  weight 
of  her  engines  and  deck  hamper  causing  her  to  roll 


Running  tlic  Gauntlet        185 

henvily.  'I'hen  she  ri^^hted  as  she  ran,  and  her  nose 
soii.srlit  for  the  narrow  opening  left  in  the  very  centre 
of  the  fleet.  It  was  a  most  exciting  moment.  The 
air  trembled  with  shouting,  while  if  there  had  been  a 
hail  of  bullets  before,  there  was  a  torrent  now,  aimed 
with  all  the  carelessness  of  the  native,  some  overhead, 
some  astern,  and  some  even  into  the  middle  of  com- 
rades. And  to  these  one  rifle  responded — that  of  the 
native  stoker.  He  lay  in  the  engine  well,  his  head 
nicely  clear,  and  his  snider  spat  out  a  stinging  rain 
which  caused  many  an  enemy  to  fall  in  his  boat,  or 
overbalance  and  slip  into  the  river.  But  though  he 
jerked  the  cartridges  from  the  breech  as  rapidly  as 
possible,  he  could  make  little  impression  on  the  crew  of 
the  war  vessel.  At  the  first  movement  of  the  launch 
there  had  been  a  shout,  and  as  if  by  magic  each  one  of 
the  paddlers  got  to  his  feet  and  changing  round  knelt 
again.  Then  the  paddles  dipped  and  the  big  craft 
came  surging  back. 

"She'll  be  across  our  track !"  sang  out  Dick.  "Get 
below,  Johnnie.  Keep  down!  look  out  for  those  who 
manage  to  get  aboard  the  launch." 

At  once  the  native  slipped  completely  into  his  engine 
well,  where  he  lay.  rifle  in  hand.  As  for  our  hero  he 
could  not  afford  to  take  cover  just  yet,  for  he  had  to 
direct  the  course  of  the  launch.  And  magnificently  he 
stuck  to  his  post.  A  slug  struck  him  on  the  point  of 
the  knee  as  he  sat,  and  caused  him  anguish.  A  second, 
fired  at  the  same  close  range,  thudded  against  his  ribs 
and  dropped  to  the  deck,  while  another  from  the  same 
discharge  carried  away  his  hat.  But  he  stuck  grimly 
to  the  tiller.     His  eye  was  glued  on  the  war  vessel, 


1 86    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

and  he  watched  her  Hke  a  cat.  She  was  just  beginning 
to  cross  his  track,  but  the  angle  at  which  she  moved 
would  bring  the  two  boats  almost  alongside  one  an- 
other, and  then 

"They  would  hang  on  and  be  aboard  before  we  could 
look  round.  No,  thank  you.  We'll  try  some  other 
plan." 

The  muscles  in  his  steering  arm  were  like  steel 
bands.  There  was  a  look  of  determination  on  his  face. 
He  moved  the  arm  with  a  sudden  jerk,  and  sent  the 
launch  over  when  she  was  within  thirty  feet  of  the 
enemy.  A  second  later  he  was  bearing  down  upon 
her  broadside.  Then,  indeed,  there  were  shouts.  The 
natives  saw  their  danger  and  paddled  furiously  in  the 
vain  endeavour  to  alter  their  position.  But  they  had 
no  chance,  for  the  steersman  aboard  the  launch,  con- 
scious of  the  superiority  which  steam  gave  him,  coun- 
tered every  move  instantly.  It  was  a  matter  of  seconds. 
He  was  within  five  feet  of  them,  going  full  speed.  The 
natives  saw  now  that  they  had  no  chance  of  coming 
alongside,  and  Dick  watched  them  drop  their  rifles, 
draw  their  swords  and  crush  to  the  centre  of  the  boat. 
He  moved  the  tiller  again,  ever  so  little,  and  bore  right 
down  upon  the  huddling  group.  Then  he  dived  into 
his  well  and  sat  on  the  boards,  one  hand  still  gripping 
the  tiller,  while  the  fingers  of  the  other  sought  for  his 
revolver. 

Crash !  The  launch  shuddered,  and  stopped  on  her 
way.  But  she  had  weight  behind  her,  and  her  frame 
was  of  sound  construction.  Also  she  was  running  at 
full  pace,  and  her  propeller  never  ceased  to  grip  the 
water.     She  moved  again,  rose  at  the  bows  for  a  sec- 


Running  tlic  Gauntlet        187 

ond  or  so.  and  then  subsided  attain.  t(3  the  accompani- 
ment of  shouts  and  the  sounds  of  sphntering  \vf3od. 
Dick  heard  tlie  scraping  as  the  native  boat  passed  be- 
neatli  the  keel,  and  there  was  a  gentle  thud  as  the  pro- 
peller blade  struck  a  portion  oi  the  wreck. 

"Right  over  her!     \\'hat  luck!"' 

That  was  all  he  could  say.  for  other  matters  engaged 
his  attention.  Of  the  huddled  group  in  the  centre  of 
the  native  boat  half  a  dozen  had  managed  to  gain  the 
launch,  while  their  comrades  were  already  far  l^ehind 
struggling  in  the  water.  And  these  men  who  had  been 
able  to  reach  her  had  not  all  contrived  to  get  aboard. 
Two  reached  the  deck  of  the  steam  craft  at  once,  while 
the  remainder  clung  to  her  side,  and  were  now  clamber- 
ing up,  no  easy  task  considering  the  speed  of  the  ves- 
sel. A  rifle  cracked  and  one  of  the  men  atoard  fell 
on  his  face.  Then  Dick  saw  Johnnie  lift  his  weapon 
again  and  aim.  He  pressed  the  trigger  as  the  man 
leaped  to  one  side.  As  he  opened  the  breech  and 
stretched  out  for  another  cartridge,  the  native  ran  at 
him  waving  his  short  sword  above  his  head.  Dick's 
arm  went  up  from  the  well,  he  rested  the  muzzle  of  his 
weapon  on  the  edge,  and  took  a  rapid  aim.  A  moment 
later  the  Ashanti  fell  headlong  across  the  boiler,  while 
his  sword  clattered  on  the  iron  floor  of  the  miniature 
stokehold. 

"Soon  settle  um  hash !"  shouted  Johnnie,  as  he 
leaped  to  the  deck  and  ran  forward,  armed  with 
his  shovel.  "Hah !  off  yo's  go.  To  de  riber  wid 
you." 

He  leaned  over  the  side,  and  one  by  one  he  beat  the 
Ashantis   into  the  water.     Then   he  returned  to   his 


I  88    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

engine,  and  our  hero  heard  the  furnace  door  open  once 
more. 

"Steady,"  he  called  out  with  a  laugh,  which  showed 
the  relief  he  felt.  "Go  easy,  my  lad,  for  we  are  out 
of  the  wood,  and  must  husband  coal.  How's  the 
store?" 

"Plenty  black  stone,  sar.  Steam  from  here  to  Cape 
Coast  Castle,  I  tink.     Golly!     Um  hot!" 

He  groped  in  the  pocket  of  his  greasy  jacket  and 
produced  a  piece  of  waste  with  which  he  mopped  his 
face.  Then  he  turned  his  attention  to  the  enemy  and 
put  up  his  rifle.  Dick  followed  suit,  and  together  the 
shots  rang  out. 

"That's  where  the  big  gun  is,"  said  Dick,  as  he  fired 
at  the  second  of  the  two  large  boats,  from  which  had 
come  the  bellow  of  the  large  piece  which  had  accounted 
for  the  fracture  of  the  tiller.  "That  fellow  has  got 
hold  of  an  elephant  gim,  I  think,  and  he  is  making  good 
shooting.     Whereabouts  is  he?" 

"You  w-atch,  Massa  Dick.  You  see  dat  man  near 
far  end  of  boat?  Dat  de  feller.  You  watch  um  while 
me  pot.     See  um  go  splash  into  de  water." 

There  was  a  malicious  gleam  in  Johnnie's  eye,  for  a 
second  or  so  before  the  hopes  of  escape  which  filled 
the  minds  of  the  fugitives  had  been  suddenly  upset  by 
the  boom  of  the  heavy  piece  owned  by  the  enemy,  and 
by  the  hum  of  a  bullet  along  the  deck  of  the  launch. 
There  was  a  steady  arm  holding  the  gun,  and  had  they 
but  known  it  this  native  was  one  of  King  Koffee's  chief 
marksmen,  an  old  hunter  from  the  interior,  who  held 
a  high  place  in  the  army  mainly  because  of  his  prowess 
with  the  rifle  in  question.     And  the  boat  in  which  he 


Running  the  Gauntlet         189 

sat,  or  knelt,  was  not  so  far  behind  that  he  was  out  of 
range,  or  even  nearly  so.  Indeed,  barely  a  minute 
had  passed  since  the  launch  had  overmn  the  first  of 
the  big  war  boats,  and  had  sent  her  to  the  bottom.  It 
was  only  a  few  seconds  since  Johnnie  had  plied  his 
shovel  to  such  good  effect,  and  the  enemy  were  still 
at  close  quarters.  Xor  were  they  minded  to  permit 
these  audacious  strangers  to  escape  so  easily.  A  yell, 
a  discordant  shriek  of  indignation  had  gone  up  as  the 
launch  dashed  into  and  splintered  the  native  craft, 
and  that  had  been  followed  by  a  babel  of  shouts,  by 
the  clash  of  many  a  war  drum,  and  the  blowing  of 
horns,  while  instantly  the  whole  fleet  had  swung  round 
and  had  followed,  their  guns  pouring  slugs  after  the 
launch.  Dick  could  see  them  clearly,  the  paddlers  ply- 
ing their  blades  with  terrific  energy,  and  the  fight- 
ing men  standing  or  kneeling,  ramming  charges 
into  their  muzzle-loaders  in  desperate  haste.  Then 
had  come  that  boom  followed  by  the  hum  of  the 
big  bullet. 

"Dat  de  man,"  said  Johnnie,  as  he  held  his  rifle  to 
his  shoulder.  "He  just  'bout  to  stand  and  fire  um  gun. 
See  um  drop  de  villain." 

At  once  our  hero's  rifle  went  to  his  shoulder,  and, 
having  waited  to  hear  the  snap  of  his  comrade's,  and 
note  that  he  had  failed  to  hit  the  mark,  he  pressed  his 
trigger  gently,  holding  his  weapon  as  rigidly  as  the 
trembling  of  the  launch  would  allow.  Instantly  there 
was  an  answering  report  from  the  native  boat,  and  he 
felt  tlie  breath  of  the  shot  as  it  raged  past  his  cheek 
and  flew  on  ahead.  Then  the  man  Avho  had  fired  stag- 
gered, drew  himself  up  and,  holding  his  huge  weapon 


190    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

above  his  head,  toppled  and  fell  like  a  stone  into  the 
river. 

"Got  um  !  By  gum !  but  dat  a  fine  shot !  Johnnie's 
no  good.  Bad.  Velly  bad.  Hear  um  shout.  No 
more  pills  ob  dat  size  come  after  us." 

"It  was  a  lucky  shot  and  may  save  our  lives.  The 
beggar  meant  potting  us,  and  there  is  no-  doubt  that  he 
was  a  fine  shot,  and  knew  his  weapon.  If  one  of  his 
bullets  had  hit  either  of  us  I  imagine  that  we  should 
have  been  killed  instantly.  It  must  have  been  like  a 
young  cannon  firing  a  very  big  charge,  for  did  you  see 
how  the  recoil  shook  him?" 

The  stoker  nodded  emphatically.  "Not  like  shoot 
such  gun  often,"  he  said.  "Make  shoulder  sore.  But 
what  massa  do  now  ?  Stop  here  and  fire,  sO'  as  make 
dem  sorry  dey  get  in  de  way  ?" 

"No,  thank  you,"  was  the  dry  answer.  "I  have  seen 
enough  of  these  Ashantis  to  last  me  for  a  long  time. 
A  more  fierce  and  cruel  lot  of  beggars  I  never  saw 
before,  and  you  don't  catch  me  waiting  to  fight  with 
an  army.  We  might  burst  a  steam-pipe  or  break  a 
connecting-rod  and  then  where  should  we  be?  Look 
at  that  beggar  lying  over  the  boiler,  and  think  whether 
you  would  like  to  become  a  prisoner." 

"No,  tanks,  massa,"  grinned  Johnnie,  casting  his  eye 
at  the  native.  "But  s'pose  we  move  'um.  Him  berry 
fine  feller,  but  though  him  dead  him  not  like  de  heat. 
Golly!  Make  'um  hop  to  put  de  finger  dere,  on  de 
biler.     Him  cook  nicely  if  we  leab  um." 

Things  had  occurred  so  rapidly  that  neither  had 
given  a  thought  to  this  matter  before,  but  now  that 
they  had  killed  the  most  dangerous  of  their  enemies, 


Running  the  Gauntlet        191 

and  the  battle  with  the  army  of  Ashanti  had  developed 
into  a  chase  between  a  steam  launch,  with  ample  power, 
and  a  fleet  of  unwieldy  boats,  they  had  time  to  look 
about  them,  and  to  observe  their  own  condition.  As 
the  stoker  had  said,  the  native  who  had  fallen  to  Dick's 
revolver-shot  lay  across  the  boiler,  and  it  was  more 
than  hot  there,  for  out  in  this  tropical  country  there 
was  no  great  need  for  lagging  (a  covering  of  asbestos 
and  wood,  often  held  in  position  by  sheet  iron,  and  com- 
monlv  applied  to  boilers  in  this  country  to  help  to  re- 
tain their  heat,  and  so  make  steaming  easier),  and 
this  launch  boiler  was  exposed  to  the  air  and  weather. 
In  consequence,  the  unhappy  wretch  who  had  fallen 
was  literally  cooking,  and  Dick  was  thankful  when  his 
dusky  companion  caught  the  body  by  one  arm,  and 
dragging  it  to  the  side  hove  it  overboard.  Johnnie 
had  little  sentiment.  An  enemy  was  an  enemy,  whether 
dead  or  alive,  and  he  made  no  secret  of  his  delight  that 
here  was  another  native  who  had  fallen  to  their 
weapons. 

"Good-bye  yo,"  he  shouted,  as  the  body  splashed 
into  the  river  and  sank  from  sight.  "Yo  foolish  man 
come  aboard  dis  vessel.  Not  hab  invite  to  do  so,  and 
not  wanted,  not 't  all.  So  jest  yo  go'  'way  'gain.  Yo 
hab  self  to  tank  for  all  dis  trouble." 

He  turned  to  Dick  with  a  laugh,  which  was  not  les- 
sened when  he  saw^  the  serious  expression  on  his  mas- 
ter's face.  For  Dick  had  his  own  ideas  as  to  how  an 
enemy  should  be  treated,  whether  dead  or  alive,  and 
had  tlie  task  been  his  he  would  have  endeavoured  to  do 
the  work  decorously.  But  he  had  to  admit  to  himself 
that  one  of  these  Ashantis,  when  dead,  was  a  repulsive- 


192    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

looking  object,  and  that  Johnnie  was  probably  jus- 
tified. 

"What  does  he  care?"  he  asked  himself.  "He  has, 
no  doubt,  still  a  large  share  of  his  savage  nature  left, 
and  he  knows  that  these  men  would  cut  him  to  pieces 
when  alive  if  they  could  capture  him.  So  he  treats 
them,  dead  or  alive,  with  the  same  ferocity.  Well, 
we've  cleared  decks,  and  I'm  not  sorry.  As  for  those 
beggars  behind,  they  might  just  as  w^ell  stop  and  save 
their  powder;  they  cannot  hurt  us  more." 

There  was  little  doubt  on  this  point,  for  since  the 
native  wnth  the  big  elephant  gun  had  toppled  over- 
board, hardly  a  shot  had  reached  the  launch,  though 
showers  of  slugs  cut  up  the  water  in  the  rear.  It  was 
the  turn  of  those  aboard  the  launch  to  smile  and  enjoy 
the  situation.  As  they  ran  down  the  stream,  with  the 
throttle  now  half  closed,  for  steam  might  be  wanted 
for  another  emergency,  they  could  look  back  at  the  fast- 
receding  fleet  of  boats  and  take  full  stock  of  them. 
Also  they  could  watch  the  dusky  figures  bounding 
through  the  bush,  some  still  abreast  of  the  launch  or 
even  farther  down  the  stream.  They  could  jeer  at  the 
frantic  shout.^,  could  wave  back  jubilantly  to  the  angry 
signals  of  the  enemy,  and  they  could  afford  to  mock  at 
the  men  who  tore  through  the  jungle,  firing  aimlessly 
into  the  w^ater. 

"Good  as  firework !"  laughed  the  light-hearted  John- 
nie. "Moon  not  so  bright  now,  me  tink,  and  de  gun 
go  pop !  pop !  wid  a  splosh  of  fire.  Fine  sight,  massa ! 
Make  de  heart  young  and  gay." 

"Because  we  have  something  to  be  thankful  for. 
But  don't  you  make  any  mistake  about  the  action,  my 


Running  the  Gauntlet        193 

lad ;  it  was  a  close  thing,  a  precious  close  piece  of  busi- 
ness, and  if  it  hadn't  been  for  that  gap,  why,  where 
should  we  be?  That  reminds  me.  How  are  we 
for'ard?     What's  the  damage?" 

Tiie  native  leaped  from  his  well  and  went  scrambling 
along  the  deck,  the  movement  giving  cause  for  an  in- 
creased outburst  of  shouting  and  beating  of  the  drums; 
for  the  enemy  still  watched  the  retreating  launch  like 
cats,  hoping  against  hope  that  she  would  stop,  that 
their  fetish,  to  which  they  sacrificed  victims  innumera- 
ble during  the  year,  would  step  in  in  time  to  arrest  the 
flight  and  hand  over  the  white  man.  Presently  Johnnie 
came  back  with  a  piece  of  wood  in  his  hand. 

"All  dat  remain,"  he  said,  with  a  laugh.  "De  bow 
hit  right  into  boat,  and  brake  um.  Dis  stick  to  de 
fender.  Xoding  hurt.  Launch  same  as  before,  only 
bullet  mark  eberywhere,  I  'spect." 

"Then  we'll  look  to  ourselves.  What  damages, 
Johnnie?" 

"Golly !  I  forget  um.  Tink  soon  be  killed  by  dem 
debils  and  den  no  matter.  But  feel  um  now.  Look 
dar!  Johnnie  kill  dat  man  if  he  catch  um !  What  he 
want  to  fire  so  to  spoil  de  beauty?  Johnnie's  wife  not 
like  dat  't  all !" 

Here  was  a  genuine  grievance,  and  the  native  made 
the  most  of  it  as  he  showed  Dick  his  wound.  For  a 
slug  had  struck  him  on  the  cheek,  just  below  the  orbit, 
and  had  lacerated  the  flesh,  so  that  there  was  every 
prospect  of  much  scarring;  while  the  bleeding,  as  in 
all  face  wounds,  had  been  excessive,  and  his  coat  and 
breast  were  covered  with  blood. 

"An  honourable  wound,"  said  Dick,  with  a  chuckle, 


194    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

for  this  little  native  amused  him  vastly,  and  considermg 
his  want  of  good  looks,  it  was  rather  amazing  to  hear 
him  talking  of  lost  beauty.  "Honourable  scars,  John- 
nie. You  will  be  able  to  point  to  that  wound  and  say 
to  your  wife  and  friends,  'Johnnie  get  that  when  he 
fight  whole  Ashanti  army.  Yes,  he  hab  one  man  only 
wid  him.  He  fight  army  alone  and  kill  plenty.  Den 
he  wave  de  hand  and  leab.'     How's  that,  Johnnie?" 

They  sat  opposite  one  another  now,  the  enemy 
almost  forgotten,  and  they  laughed  till  Dick  had  to 
hold  his  sides.  For  the  expression  on  the  stoker's  face 
as  Dick  took  note  of  his  grievance  was  ludicrous.  He 
looked  surprised  and  grieved  at  first,  and  then  utterly 
indignant.  Then,  as  our  hero  proceeded  with  the  tale, 
he  saw  his  point,  and  commenced  to  smile. 

"Yo  make  um  ache,  massa,"  he  cried.  "Yes,  John- 
nie say  all  dat.  He  forget.  Dis  wound  show  him  to 
be  brave  man.  He  fight  whole  army,  alone.  He  kill 
heap.  He  glad  dat  man  hit  um  here.  Dat  man  friend 
of  him  for  life !" 

It  was  natural  that  the  two  should  make  the  most 
of  the  matter  and  enjoy  it  to  their  heart's  content,  for 
the  reader  must  recollect  that  a  few  minutes  before 
death  stared  them  in  the  face,  that  for  a  quarter  of  an 
hour  the  odds  against  their  escape  had  been  desperate, 
and  that  during  all  that  time  they  had  been  working 
with  hand  and  brain  and  fighting  at  full  pressure.  And 
as  if  the  danger  had  been  a  stone  hung  about  their 
necks  by  a  cord,  it  had  dropped  now  that  the  cord  was 
cut.  They  had  burst  their  way  through  the  band 
swung  across  the  river,  and  they  had  killed  the  most 
dangerous  of  their  enemies.     The  relief  was  immense^ 


Running  the  Gauntlet         195 

and   they  showed   it   by  giddy  laughter,   by  gripping 
hands,  and  by  shouting  and  gesticulating. 

"You  stuck  to  me  like  a  good  'un,"  said  Dick,  in 
grateful  tones.  "Had  you  funked  we  should  have 
been  taken.     I  will  rep<irt  to  Mr.  Pepson." 

"And  massa  save  Johnnie.  Look  at  man  me  jest 
throw  to  de  tishes.  He  kill  me  sure  as  egg  if  massa 
not  fire.  Fine  shot.  Big  sportman,  massa ;  and  John- 
nie say  so  to  all  de  town  when  him  back.  But  what 
part  you  hit?  Look!  Blood  here  and  dere,  and  dere. 
Eberywhere !" 

He  held  up  his  hands  in  consternation,  for  our  hero 
was  indeed  in  a  sorry  plight.  He  had  been  little  better 
than  a  scarecrow  after  his  dash  through  the  bush,  and 
his  escape  from  the  stockade,  and  the  few  hours  aboard 
the  launch  had  not  improved  matters.  He  was  as 
black  as  a  sweep,  for  the  soot  from  the  funnel  had 
played  upon  him  as  the  launch  bounded  forward,  while 
the  perspiration  had  helped  it  to  adhere.  Then  he  had 
been  struck  in  no  fewer  than  six  places  by  the  slugs 
of  the  enemy,  and  in  each  case  his  tattered  clothes  told 
the  tale.  Not  that  the  bleeding  had  been  severe.  On 
the  contrary,  none  of  the  slugs  had  penetrated  far,  and 
in  three  of  the  wounds  there  was  merely  a  large  red 
bruise,  now  getting  more  discoloured.  The  skin  had 
not  been  broken,  and  where  there  had  been  penetration 
it  had  been  so  slight  that  the  missiles  had  fallen  out  into 
his  clothing.  Still  one  cannot  stop  a  slug  without 
feeling  the  effect,  and  Dick  felt  as  if  he  had  been  play- 
ing a  very  hard  and  rough  game  of  football.  He 
limped  owing  to  the  wound  on  his  knee.  When  he 
breathed  he  suffered  considerable  pain,  for  he  had  had 


196    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

a  hard  rap  over  the  ribs,  while  his  shoulders  were  so 
stiff  from  a  wound  just  below  the  neck  that  he  might 
well  have  fallen  in  the  scrum  and  had  half  a  dozen 
lusty  fellows  tumbling  on  him. 

"All's  well  that  ends  well,"  he  cried  cheerily.  "And 
that  reminds  me  that  I'm  hungry  again.  I  have  come 
to  the  conclusion  that  fighting  is  hungry  work.  What 
stores  are  there,  my  lad  ?" 

"Find  plenty,  sar.  Massa  say  tree  week  ago,  'Yo 
go  down  to  launch  and  put  dis  and  dat  aboard.  Den 
s'pose  nigger  come  'long,  all  right  for  us.  Get  to 
launch  and  steam  'way.  Hab  grub  to  fill  de  tumock.' 
Johnnie  plenty  hungry,  too." 

"Then  off  you  go  and  lay  a  spread.     I'm  ravenous." 

Thanks  to  the  fact  that  the  engine  well  and  the  one 
aft  from  which  the  steersman  guided  the  launch  were 
close  together,  the  two  comrades,  for  they  were  that 
on  this  occasion  if  on  no  other,  were  able  to  see  to  the 
management  of  the  launch  and  enjoy  a  meal  at  the 
same  time.  The  attack  they  made  upon  the  food  which 
Johnnie  brought  from  the  cabin  was  almost  as  fierce 
as  that  which  James  Langdon  had  made  upon  the 
stockade.  They  washed  the  repast  down  with  good 
hot  coffee,  which  Johnnie  made  at  the  furnace  door, 
drawing  water  from  the  river.  Then  they  lounged  in 
the  easiest  position  and  smoked,  the  stoker  his  short 
clay,  which  one  so  often  sees  gripped  between  the  shin- 
ing teeth  of  negro  stokers,  and  Dick  his  briar,  at  peace 
for  the  time  being  with  all  the  world,  content  with  the 
good  fortune  which  had  befallen  him. 

"I've  a  good  report  to  hand  in,"  Dick  said  to  himself, 
as  he  reflected.     "The  mine  has  been  disturbed,  but 


Running  the  Gauntlet        197 

that  was  not  my  fault,  and  from  what  I  have  heard 
and  seen  since,  I  fancy  those  at  the  coast  will  not  be 
surprised  at  the  news.  I  rather  expect  that  they  will 
hardly  hope  to  see  me  again,  for  these  Ashantis  seem  to 
have  gone  out  to  war  rather  suddenly  some  little  time 
ago.  But  the  mines  are  good  for  the  future,  the  wages 
are  paid,  and  the  men  will  return  when  the  time  comes, 
and  in  addition  I  have  a  valuable  cargo  of  gold  dust 
and  nuggets.  Good!  The  gains  are  gold  dust,  and 
one  steam  launch  saved.  The  losses  are  a  stockade 
and  two  native  boats,  one  destroyed  and  sunk  up  the 
creek  to  keep  the  Ashantis  from  using  her,  and  the 
other  hidden,  useless  to  us  for  the  time  being." 

It  was  pleasant  to  think  of  his  success,  and  he  passed 
the  hours  till  dawn  came,  wondering  what  would  hap- 
pen at  his  meeting  with  his  employers.  And  as  the 
moon  waned  the  dawn  spread  over  the  sky,  at  first  a 
mere  rose  pink  blush,  the  promise  of  a  fine  day.  Then 
the  sun  got  up  and  peeped  at  the  wanderers  out  of  the 
river  mist,  till  it  looked  like  another  moon.  Three 
hours  later  the  increasing  width  of  the  river  warned 
them  that  they  were  now  approaching  the  mouth,  and 
presently  they  were  amidst  the  sandbanks  and  up- 
heavals of  mud  which  form  its  delta.  Dick  still  clasped 
the  iron  make-shift  tiller  in  his  hand,  and  looked  wear- 
ily for  the  central  passage,  while  Johnnie  now  and 
again  stoked  his  furnace  and  looked  mechanically  to 
the  indicator  and  the  water-gauge.  For  they  were 
both  utterly  done  up  and  weary.  They  had  been  awake, 
and  active  for  many  hours,  and  the  flight  and  the  fight 
with  the  natives  had  helped  to  exhaust  them.  It  was 
therefore  with   little  show   of   excitement   that   Dick 


198    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

nodded  ahead  and  pointed  to  a  ship  lying  off  the  mouth 
of  the  river. 

"British  war  vessel,"  he  said  sleepily.  "What's  she 
doing  here?" 

"Tink  she  make  signal  to  us,  sar,"  said  Johnnie  after 
some  minutes.  "She  wave  de  flag  and  send  dem  aloft." 

"And  there  goes  a  gun.  Looks  as  though  she  wanted 
to  speak  us.  If  she'd  give  us  a  bed,  where  we  could 
rest  without  caring  about  the  launch  and  our  store  of 
gold,  I'd  be  thankful.  I'd  be  asleep  in  a  jiffy  if  it 
weren't  for  the  thought  that  I've  a  big  store  aboard, 
and  that  it  might  be  stolen.  Hullo !  It  must  be  a 
signal  for  us." 

They  were  still  some  little  distance  from  the  war 
vessel,  which  lay  to,  at  anchor  off  the  coast,  rolling 
with  the  swell.  And  as  there  was  no  one  else  alx)ut 
and  no  other  vessel,  it  seemed  more  than  probable  that 
the  flags  were  meant  for  the  man  in  command  of  the 
launch.  But  how  was  Dick  to  tell  when  he  knew  noth- 
ing of  the  signalling  code?  However,  his  doubts  were 
soon  set  at  rest,  for  a  figure  in  white  suddenly  leaped 
on  to  the  rail  of  the  vessel,  and  held  a  big  speaking 
trumpet  to  his  lips. 

"Launch  ahoy !     Launch  ahoy !" 

Dick  waved  his  grimy  hand. 

"Come  alongside  at  once.  The  Commodore  wants 
to  see  you.  Where  are  you  from  ?  Have  you  seen  any 
of  the  enemy?" 

"Enemy !  Then  they  did  know  of  the  trouble  at  the 
coast.  Perhaps  they  had  already  had  a  brush  with  the 
Ashantis." 

Dick  stood  up  in  the  well  and  waved  again.     Then 


illKV    -iM.lll     A    liKIIISII    WAK-VKSSEL 


Running  the  Gauntlet        199 

he  steered  the  launch  towards  the  g-angway,  while 
Johnnie,  awakening-  to  the  fact  that  he  was  about  to 
run  alongside  a  nian-o'-war,  with  all  its  sparkle  and 
polish,  managed  for  a  few  seconds  to  siunnion  suffi- 
cient energy  to  look  to  his  engine.  He  rubbed  with 
energy  at  the  metal  work  till  the  launch  was  almost 
alongside. 

"Stand  ready."  cried  Dick,  sleepily.  "Hook  on. 
Steady.     Back  her.     Stop  her!'' 

They  were  hanging  to  the  hroad  gangway  of  the  war 
vessel,  while  a  sea  of  faces  looked  down  upon  them. 
A  British  tar,  bearded  and  full  of  strength,  stood  in 
his  white  ducks  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder,  his  bare  feet 
splashed  in  the  water,  while  he  stared  at  the  strangers 
in  amazement.  Up  above  Dick  caught  a  fleeting  glance 
of  a  sentry,  all  in  white,  marching  to  and  fro  under  the 
awning,  and  looking  as  though  he  would  have  given 
much  for  the  privilege  of  leaving  his  beat  for  one 
glance  over  the  side.  Then  his  eye  focussed  itself 
sleepily  on  two  officers  leaning  over  the  rail,  both  with 
medal  ribbons  upon  their  white  coats,  while  one  car- 
ried his  speaking  trumpet. 

"Where  from?"  he  asked  politely.  "We've  recently 
had  a  brush  with  the  natives.     Can  you  give  us  news?" 

"They've  been  in  the  thick  of  it,"  suddenly  exclaimed 
the  other.  "Look  at  the  young  fellow.  He's  covered 
with  blood,  and  the  boat's  cut  to  pieces ;  the  sides  are  in 
ribbons.  Why,  it  must  be  young  Stapleton,  al>3ut 
whose  safety  there  has  been  such  a  commotion." 

"And  the  fellow's  done,  done  altogether,"  said  the 
other.     "Who  are  you,  sir?" 

"Dick   Stapleton,   sir.     Just  got  through   from   up 


2  00    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

country.  We  met  a  whole  army,  about  to  cross  the 
Prahsu.  We  got  through  with  some  difficulty,  as  they 
were  already  alioat.  We're  dead  beat,  sir,  but  I  can't 
sleep  till  my  store  of  gold  is  looked  to.  It's  worth 
something.     Can  you  help  ?" 

Dick  was  weary  and  done  up.  He  had  realized  that 
long  ago,  but  the  need  for  effort  had  kept  both  pluckily 
at  their  posts.  Now,  however,  with  the  all-protecting 
arm  of  the  British  Navy  to  watch  over  them,  the  desire 
for  sleep  was  irresistible.  Their  eyes  were  more  than 
half  closed.  And  they  winked  suspiciously  when  they 
attempted  to  look  at  any  one  object  for  long. 

"Sergeant  of  the  guard !  Put  a  couple  of  men 
aboard  at  once,"  came  the  order.  "Mr.  Hilden,  oblige 
by  going  down  to  the  launch  and  making  an  inventory. 
Glad  to  see  you,  Mr.  Stapleton.  We'll  talk  later. 
Meanwhile  come  aboard  and  leave  the  gold.  It  shall 
be  well  taken  care  of.  Help  him  up,  my  man,  and 
bring  him  along  under  the  awnings." 

A  friendly  and  firm  arm  helped  Dick  from  the 
launch,  while  another  tar  took  Johnnie  in  charge.  Our 
hero  was  almost  carried  to  the  deck  above  and  was 
straightway  popped  into  a  hammock.  Then  some  one 
held  a  glass  to  his  lips.  He  drank,  and  at  once  fell 
asleep.  He  had  earned  a  rest  and  determined  to 
enjoy  it. 


CHAPTER  XII 

In  Home  Waters 

"  'Ello  !  Awake,  me  'earty !  Blow  me,  but  you've 
jest  slept  the  clock  right  round!  What  time  o'  day  is 
it?  Nine  o'clock,  or  thereabouts.  'Taint  no  use  a 
givin'  it  to  yer  in  bells,  'cos  you  ain't  no  sailor.  You've 
slept  the  clock  round,  Air.  Stapleton,  and  you've  laid 
there  since  yesterday  mornin',  a-sleepin'  like  a  infant. 
'Twasn't  no  use  a-tryin'  to  stir  yer  up,  though  the 
skipper — the  Commodore  that  is — did  'ave  a  try.  'E's 
jest  jumpin'  to  get  yer  news  about  these  darkies.  But 
yer  wouldn't  stir.  Yer  jest  kind  er  growl,  and  then 
yer  was  off  agin.  Swop  me,  but  yer  must  'ave  been 
tired !" 

''I  was — dead  beat,"  agreed  Dick,  looking  out  from 
the  hammock,  and  noticing  that  he  was  aboard  the  war 
vessel,  and  still  lying  under  an  awning.  Indeed,  at 
first  he  could  recollect  nothing,  not  even  the  fight  with 
the  Ashantis,  to  such  a  point  had  exhaustion  carried 
him.  And  now.  when  he  stirred  and  opened  his  eyes, 
it  was  to  see  a  burly  sailor,  a  British  Jack  tar,  staring 
at  him  with  a  huge  smile  on  his  good-humoured  face. 

"Thet's   jest   wiiat   the  skipper   says.      He  sees   it 


2  02    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

ain't  no  use  a  botherin'  yer,  and  so  'e  jest  leaves  yer 
to  jt.  'Put  a  nurse  on  him,'  he  calls  out  to  the  chief. 
'See  as  'e's  taken  care  of.'  And  so  'ere  I  am,  actin' 
kind  of  nurse.     'Ow  do  yer  feel,  Mr.  Stapleton,  sir?" 

"Hungry!  My  word,  I  am  hungry.  You  say  I've 
slept  the  clock  round.  Then  there's  no  wonder  that  I 
want  something.     How's  the  launch?" 

"Safe  and  sound,  sir,  and  the  gold,  too.  Swop  me, 
but  where  did  it  all  come  from?  You  must  'ave  been 
busy  to  dig  all  that.  But  you're  'ungry.  I'll  send 
down  to  the  gimroom.  Officers  is  'aving  their  break- 
fast, and  there'll  be  a  peck  for  you." 

He  was  an  amusing  fellow,  this  rough  salt,  and  a 
capital  nurse  he  had  made.  He  went  to  the  rail  of  the 
upper  deck,  and  sang  out  to  the  sergeant  of  the  guard, 
a  marine,  whose  man  paced  the  beat  below. 

"Mr.  Stapleton's  compliments,"  he  called  out.  "He's 
awake  and  feels  mighty  hungry." 

Dick  heard  the  sergeant  turn  away,  and  then  crawled 
from  his  hammock.  Only  then  did  he  look  at  his 
clothing  and  his  hands,  and  he  was  horrified,  for  he 
was  still  the  grimy  object  he  had  been  when,  twenty- 
four  hours  before,  he  had  come  aboard  the  vessel.  He 
was  stiff  and  sore  all  over.  He  limped  to  the  rails, 
and  looked  down  on  to  the  lower  deck.  Scores  of 
marines  and  sailors  were  tumbling  up,  chattering  and 
calling  to  one  another,  and  amongst  them  was  Johnnie, 
as  lively  as  a  sand-boy,  and  quite  at  home  with  all  the 
crew.  Indeed,  he  was  in  a  small  way  a  hero,  and  had 
made  the  most  of  his  wakeful  hours,  yarning  to  the 
tars.  Dick  nodded  down  to  him,  and  returned  the 
salutes  of  the  men  as  they  touched  their  caps  to  him. 


In    Home   Waters  203 

Then  he  turned  rctl  under  the  grime,  for  a  histy  fellow 
jumped  to  the  railings  and  seized  his  cap. 

"Three  cheers  for  Mr.  Stapleton,  the  gentleman 
what's  jest  come  down  the  Pra  all  alone."  he  cried. 
"Three  of  them,  boys,  and  heartily !" 

"Silence,  please.  Higgens,  direct  Mr.  Stapleton  to 
the  spare  cabin  and  see  to  him.  Thank  you.  lads,  we 
like  to  see  a  plucky  act  recognized." 

It  was  an  officer  who  spoke,  and  at  his  word  the  men 
gave  another  cheer  and  departed,  while  Dick,  still 
somewhat  overcome  at  the  honour  done  him,  followed 
the  mess  servant  who  had  appeared,  and  went  down 
to  a  cabin.  Here  he  stripped  off  his  rags,  and  was  in- 
vited to  pass  through  a  narrow  doorway  to  the  bath. 
When  he  emerged,  dripping  and  feeling  wonderfully 
fresh,  there  was  the  mess  servant  waiting  to  give  him 
a  rub-down,  and  to  help  him  to  dress,  for  his  shoulders 
were  now  excessively  stiff,  while  his  knee  was  very 
painful.  He  was,  in  fact,  sore  all  over.  But  his  joy 
at  being  amongst  friends  was  great,  and  he  made  light 
of  the  pain. 

"Mr.  Hilden's  compliments,  sir,  and  he  thinks  these 
garments  will  be  about  the  size.  He  hopes  you  will 
make  use  of  them." 

The  servant,  who  was  one  of  the  marines,  held  out 
a  suit  of  white,  and  Dick  gladly  availed  himself  of  the 
clothing.  There  was  a  complete  change  of  linen  also, 
and  when  at  length  he  hobbled  from  the  cabin  he  was 
looking  spruce  and  neat  again — a  clean  young  English- 
man, modest  of  manner,  well  grown,  and  with  that  air 
of  quiet  determination  which  is  so  common  to  young 
men  of  our  race,  and  which  sat  so  well  on  him.     No 


2  04    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

one  would  have  thought  that  this  young  fellow  had 
been  up-country  in  a  responsible  position,  and  that  he 
had  so  recently  had  such  a  tussle  with  the  natives. 

"What  shall  I  do  with  these?"  asked  the  servant, 
politely,  smothering  a  smile  as  he  pointed  to  Dick's 
discarded  rags. 

"Throw  them  overboard,  or  burn  them,  please,"  was 
the  smiling  answer,  "and — er — er " 

"James,  sir." 

"Well,  James,  is  there  anything ?" 

"Breakfast  waiting,  sir.  Yes,  sir.  This  way.  The 
officers  are  waiting." 

He  led  the  way  to  the  gimroom,  and  in  another 
minute  our  hero  was  limping  across  the  polished 
boards  to  where  a  long  table  was  placed  between  two 
of  the  guns.  There  were  a  dozen  officers  there,  more 
or  less,  and  they  at  once  rose  to  greet  him. 

"Glad  to  see  you  about  again,  Stapleton,"  said  one, 
who  looked  as  if  he  were  the  senior.  "Let  me  intro- 
duce my  friends.  Officers  of  H.M.S.  Rattlesnake,  Mr. 
Stapleton;  Dick  Stapleton,  I  think." 

He  said  the  last  with  a  pleasant  smile,  while  Dick 
bowed  to  those  present. 

"Dick  Stapleton,  I  think,"  repeated  the  officer.  "We 
all  know  that.  The  ship  rings  with  the  name.  That 
dark  fellow  of  yours  has  been  telling  some  secrets.  Let 
me  congratulate  you.  It  is  seldom  we  hear  of  such  an 
escape,  and  it  is  fine  to  come  across  a  young  fellow 
who,  alone  up-country,  has  been  able  to  hold  his  own 
so  handsomely.     'Pon  my  v/ord,  you've  done  well." 

Dick  went  as  red  as  the  cummerbund  about  his  waist, 
and  felt  horribly  confused.     Then,  at  the  invitation  of 


In    Home   Waters  205 

the  officers,  he  sat  down,  and  forgetting  all  else  for 
the  moment  enjoyed  the  good  things  put  before  him, 
and  the  excellent  company  in  which  he  found  himself. 
For  there  are  none  jollier  than  naval  officers,  none 
more  hospitable.  Their  gallantry  has  long,  long  ago 
been  proved  to  all  the  world. 

"As  soon  as  you  are  ready  we  will  go  to  the  Com- 
modore." said  the  officer  who  had  before  addressed 
himself  to  Dick.  "I  may  say  that  he  is  simply  itching 
to  hear  your  news.  You  see,  it's  important.  We've 
harl  a  brush  with  the  natives,  and  it  has  been  a  nasty 
business.  There's  a  big  disturbance  going  on.  and  the 
war  has  regularly  started.  We  expect  Wolseley  here 
very  soon — General  Sir  Garnet  Wolseley,  you  know. 
A  fine  soldier,  and  just  the  officer  for  a  job  of  this 
kind." 

Dick  opened  his  eyes  in  astonishment.  He  had 
already  gathered  that  there  was  some  trouble  afoot. 
Indeed,  when  he  sailed  up  the  Pra  with  Mr.  Pepson 
there  had  been  ugly  rumours  in  the  air.  Some  had 
warned  the  members  of  the  expedition  that  it  would 
be  folly  to  go  just  then.  Others  had  said  that  there 
was  always  trouble  threatening;  that  it  was  a  condition 
which  had  become  practically  chronic  on  the  Gold  Coast, 
and  that  King  Koffee  was  always  a  thorn  in  the  flesh, 
feared  by  Fantis  and  white  men  alike,  and  always  liable 
to  make  a  raid  on  the  coast.  So  it  had  been  for  a 
long  while,  and  he  who  hesitated  to  march  into  the 
forest  on  that  account  was  weak.  But  from  his  own 
experience  he  knew  that  they  had  actually  gone  on  the 
war-path,  and  now  he  heard  that  the  Xavy  had  had  an 
action  with  them. 


2o6    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

"And  there  is  to  be  a  regular  war?"  he  asked  in 
amazement.  "Sir  Garnet  Wolseley  is  coming,  and 
troops,  too,  I  suppose?" 

"Yes,  there  will  be  troops,  and  some  are  already 
here.     It  is  to  be  a  regular  invasion.     This   fellow, 
King  Koffee,  has  become  too  troublesome  and  too  for- 
midable.    His  men   are  here  on  the  coast,   and   the 
neighbourhood  of  Elmina  is  in  his  hands.     We  are  in 
a  tight  corner,  and  shall  remain  so  till  the  reinforce- 
ments arrive.     Then  we  shall  march  to  Kumasi  and 
burn  the  wasp  out.     That's  it  precisely,  Mr.  Stapleton. 
This  king  thinks  that  he  can  dictate  terms  to  the  white 
men.     He  has  a  few  captives,  and  thinks  that  because 
he  beat  a  white  force  years  ago,  he  can  repeat  the 
process.     He  wants  a  lesson,  and  we're  here  to  give  it 
to  him.     Have  you  finished?     Please  do  not  let  me 
hurry  you,  but  if  you  only  knew  the  anxiety  of  our 
Commodore,   I  think  you  would   forgive  any  undue 
haste  on  our  part.     Our  Commodore  has  been  fretting 
at  the  unavoidable  delay.     Of  course  you  could  not 
help  that.     Any  one  could  see  that  you  were  dog  tired. 
Yes,  this  w-ay,  now  up  the  ladder  and  along  the  deck. 
Sentry,  my  compliments  to  the  Commodore,  and  say 
that  I  have  brought  Mr.  Stapleton." 

A  few  seconds  later  the  two  were  ushered  into  the 
wardroom  of  the  Rattlesnake,  and  Dick  found  himself 
bowing  before  the  Commodore,  J.  E.  Commerell,  V.C, 
C.B.,  who  came  forward  to  shake  him  by  the  hand. 
There  were  two  other  officers  present,  and  it  was  evi- 
dent by  the  expression  on  their  faces  that  they  were 
eagerly  awaiting  news  from  the  interior. 

"This  is  a  serious  business,  Mr.  Stapleton,"  said  the 


In    Home   Waters  207 

Commodore,  motioning  Dick  to  a  scat  at  the  wardroom 
table.  "I  heard  that  you  have  encountered  an  Ashanti 
army,  and  I  have  information  that  they  were  on  their 
way  to  attack  the  Assims,  a  tribe  friendly  to  ourselves. 
Tell  me  all  about  this  meeting,  please,  and  also  what 
other  frays  you  may  have  had  with  the  enemy;  for  I 
have  also  had  mentioned  to  me  the  fact  that  you  have 
had  more  than  one  skirmish." 

"I'll  do  my  best,  sir,"  answered  Dick.  "I  went  up- 
country  some  weeks  ago  with  my  employers  and  some 
Fanti  boatmen.  Also  we  took  a  native  stoker,  Johnnie, 
who  is  here  now.  and  has  proved  a  splendid  fellow. 
We  were  attacked  by  Ashanti  robbers  on  the  way  up, 
and  our  Fanti s  were  in  league  with  them.  We  beat 
them  off  and  went  on  to  the  mine  for  which  we  were 
making.  There  was  a  stockade  there,  and  as  soon  as 
we  had  settled  matters  I  was  left  in  charge  of  the  place 
and  of  the  miners.  A  few  days  ago,  I  cannot  exactly 
rememl^er  how  many,  for  after  being  awake  so  long 
and  then  sleeping  the  clock  round  I  am  rather  confused 
—still,  it  is  only  a  few  days  ago  that  the  same  leader 
who  had  previously  attacked  our  boats,  made  an  at- 
tempt to  take  the  stockade,  and  failed  owing  to  the 
pluck  of  the  miners  and  to  the  watchfulness  of  Johnnie. 
But  they  hemmed  us  in.  and  we  knew  that  they  expect- 
ed two  hundred  Ashantis  to  reinforce  them." 

"You  knew?  Excuse  me.  Mr.  Stapleton,  but  how 
could  you  know  that  when  you  were,  according  to  your 
own  description,  hemmed  in  the  stockade?  Did  they 
shout  the  news  so  as  to  frighten  your  men?" 

The  Commodore  leaned  across  the  table,  and  put  the 
question,  while  he  looked  closely  at  his  guest.     Dick 


2o8    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

flushed  again,  for  he  felt  ill  at  ease  in  this  atmosphere 
of  the  wardroom,  with  officers  listening  so  intently  to 
his  words. 

"It  was  through  an  accident,  you  see,  sir,"  he  said. 
"It  happened  that  when  the  attack  was  made,  I  was 
out  in  the  forest  scouting  for  the  enemy,  for  we  had 
seen  a  small  force  in  our  neighbourhood  a  little  time 
before." 

"Then  you  had  taken  precautions  against  attack,  I 
imagine?"  interrupted  the  Commodore.  "You  had  set 
a  watch,  so  as  not  to  be  taken  unawares?" 

"And  yet  they  took  me  by  surprise,  sir.  They  came 
up  from  the  other  side,  and  as  I  was  in  the  forest  I  did 
not  know  of  their  presence  till  I  heard  firing.  Yes, 
we  had  taken  precautions.  Johnnie  was  on  the  watch 
at  the  stockade,  and  the  men  had  been  warned,  and 
had  been  trained  as  to  their  action  in  case  of  attack. 
A  tom-tom  was  beaten,  and  they  simply  ran  to  the 
stockade  and  banged  the  door.  Then  they  peppered 
the  enemy,  with  excellent  results." 

"Meanwhile  you  were  in  the  forest,  cut  off  from 
your  men?" 

"Yes,  sir.  But  I  managed  to  creep  through  during 
the  night,  and,  thanks  to  the  fact  that  I  can  now  under- 
stand the  Ashanti  tongue  and  speak  it  a  little,  I  learned 
of  these  reinforcements  on  my  way  through." 

"And  you  got  through  without  incident?" 

"Hardly,"  admitted  Dick,  telling  them  quietly  how 
he  had  been  followed,  and  had  had  to  fight  for  his 
life,  and  how  he  had  been  rescued  when  on  the  point 
of  being  dragged  away  to  captivity.  "After  that  we 
fooled  them,"  he  said  easily.     "We  sent  out  a  party  to 


In    Home   Waters  209 

the  front,  the  direction  from  which  their  attack  had 
come,  while  we  made  preparations  to  slink  ofif  in  the 
opposite  direction.  The  party  retired  over  the  hill 
with  the  gold,  while  I  went  on  firing  for  a  time.  We 
had  our  launch  in  hiding  in  a  creek  some  httle  distance 
away,  and  we  got  safely  ahoard  her  and  set  off  down 
the  river,  towing  the  men  in  a  native  boat.  Later  we 
paid  ofT  our  men  and  hid  the  boat.  Then  we  steamed 
down-stream  and  had  the  bad  luck  to  meet  with  an 
Ashanti  army.  They  peppered  us  hotly,  and,  in  fact, 
nearly  cut  us  off.  There  were  tw'O  big  war  boats 
which  were  the  greatest  danger,  and  aboard  one  was  a 
native  with  a  big  gun.  firing  a  heavy  bullet.  He  shot 
our  tiller  away  at  a  critical  moment.  But  we  used  the 
stoking  rod,  and — and  here  we  are." 

"Quite  so.  'Sir.  Stapleton.  here  you  are,"  said  the 
Commodore,  with  a  pleasant  little  smile.  "But  you 
will  excuse  me.  As  a  naval  officer,  I  would  like  to 
hear  how  it  is  that  you  are  here  at  all.  You  had  an 
army  to  contend  with.  They  were  in  boats.  There 
were  two  large  war  craft,  and  a  man  with  an  elephant 
gun,  a  small  cannon  in  fact.  Your  tiller  was  shot 
away,  and  I  have  noticed  that  your  funnel  is  perforated. 
Your  boat  is  marked  with  slugs  from  bow  to  stem, 
and  there  are  some  pounds  of  slugs  and  pebbles  on 
the  decks  or  embedded  in  the  woodwork.  You  had 
one  stoker  with  you.  Two  for  a  crew  to  man  the 
vessel  and  fight  her.  This  requires  a  little  more  expla- 
nation." 

Willingly  would  Dick  have  escaped  further  conver- 
sation, for  the  reader  must  recollect  that  he  was  un- 
used to  this  official  atmosphere,  and  felt  more  than 


2IO    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

overawed  by  the  presence  of  the  officers,  looking  so 
keen  and  spruce.  However,  there  were  friendly  smiles 
to  encourage  him,  and  he  blurted  out  his  news. 

"Oh,  we  ran  for  the  far  side  of  the  river,  firing  as 
we  went,"  he  said.  ''Then  there  was  a  chance.  A 
war  boat  left  a  gap  behind  her  and  we  slipped  into  it. 
But  they  can  back  their  boats  by  simply  turning  on 
their  heels  and  reversing  their  paddles,  and  so  she  came 
right  across  us.  But  we  let  'em  have  it  broadside  on 
and  crumpled  'em  up.  A  few  clung  to  us  or  jumped 
aboard,  but  we  shot  one  or  two,  and  Johnnie  hit  the  rest 
over  the  head  with  his  shovel.  Then  the  fellow  with 
the  gun  got  our  range  again,  and  it  looked  a  little 
nasty  for  a  while.  But  we  shot  him,  and  then — well, 
here  we  are." 

There  was  a  hearty  laugh  at  his  words  and  at  the 
obvious  confusion  under  which  he  laboured.  But  the 
Commodore  soon  straightened  his  features  and  again 
asked  a  very  pertinent  question. 

"If  you  please,"  he  said  sweetly,  "who  are  'we'? 
You  say  'we'  all  the  way  through.  We  left  the  stock- 
ade ;  we  paid  the  men  off ;  we  fitted  the  stoking  bar  as  a 
tiller;  we  steered  the  launch  over  the  war  boat;  and 
we  shot  the  man  with  the  gun  when  things  began  to 
look  nasty.  Do  you  mean  that  you  and  Johnnie  did 
these  things  together?" 

Then  our  hero  was  compelled  to  give  the  details, 
while  the  perspiration  poured  from  his  forehead.  For 
if  he  was  brave,  he  was  undoubtedly  modest. 

"And  now  I  will  tell  you  what  has  happened  here," 
said  the  Commodore.  "But  first  I  must  thank  you  for 
very  valuable  information,  and  at  the  same  time  con- 


In    Home   Waters  2  i  i 

gratulate  you  on  your  very  plucky  conduct.     'Pon  my 
word,  gentlemen,  we  should  be  delighted  had  he  been 
one  of  our  service.     It  would  have  been  a  fine  feather 
in  our  caps  to  be  able  to  send  such  a  report  home  to  the 
authorities.     But  now.  my  news.     You  may  have  seen 
some  of  us  wearing  slings  and  bandages.     We  have 
good  reason  for  doing  so,  for  three  weeks  ago  we  went 
up  the  river  Pra  to  discuss  matters  with  some  of  these 
natives  who  seemed  inclined  to  be  turbulent.     They 
met  us  in  a  friendly  manner,  but  higher  up,  as  our 
boats  were  being  towed  closer  to  the  bank  and  within 
easy    range,    an    ambush    of    some    thousand    natives 
opened  fire  upon  us.     We  were  in  a  hopeless  condition, 
for  we  could  not  attack,  and  could  hardly  retire.     But 
we  managed  to  draw  away,  and  returned  to  the  ship 
with  many  poor  fellows  injured.     Later  we  shelled  the 
town  where  the  ambush  had  been  laid  and  smashed  it 
to  pieces.     About  the  same  time  some  of  our  men  were 
ill-treated  by  the  natives  higher  up  the  river,  and  I 
regret  to  say  that  in  all  wc  lost  four  of  our  brave  fel- 
lows, while  twenty  of  us  were  wounded,  including  six 
officers.     However,   we  are  all  recovering.     But  the 
range  was  close,  and  a  blow  on  the  ribs  is  no  laughing 
matter." 

The  Commodore  moved  uneasily,  and  it  was  then 
that  Dick  noticed  an  unusual  bulging  of  his  coat  and 
shirt,  for  in  these  hot  parts  all  wore  the  lightest  cloth- 
ing. In  fact,  the  Commodore  had  1)een  very  seriously 
injured  by  the  murderous  fire  of  the  natives. 

"There  has  been  more  troulile  since."  went  on  the 
Commodr.re,  "but  we  have  not  had  the  worst  of  it.  We 
have  realized  that  the  time  for  talking  has  passed,  and 


2  12    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

we  have  given  these  unfriendly  natives  a  sample  of 
our  wares.  We  have  shelled  towns  and  villages  where 
the  people  were  hostile.  But  they  are  that  everywhere. 
The  bush  swarms  with  enemies,  and  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  we  are  face  to  face  with  a  war  of  moderate 
proportions.  In  that  war,  Air.  Stapleton,  you  will  be 
able  to  play  a  prominent  part,  for  you  can  speak  both 
the  Fanti  and  Ashanti  dialects,  and  you  have  some 
knowledge  of  the  country.  I  shall  ask  you  to  take  a 
letter  to  the  Lieutenant-Governor  at  Cape  Coast  Castle, 
in  which  I  will  repeat  what  I  have  just  said.  But  per- 
haps you  would  rather  not  aid  the  troops ;  perhaps  you 
will  want  to  return  home,  in  which  case  Her  Majesty's 
forces  will  be  the  losers." 

"I  cannot  say,  sir,"  was  the  answer.  "Till  I  see  my 
friends  and  ascertain  their  wishes  I  am  unable  to  de- 
cide. Indeed,  I  am  not  my  own  master.  May  I  press 
on  at  once,  for  I  am  anxious  to  get  to  them  and  hand 
over  the  gold.  Besides,  when  they  hear  of  this  trouble, 
they  will  be  wondering  what  has  happened  to  their 
mine." 

"And  I  think  also  to  the  young  manager  who  was 
put  in  charge.  Certainly,  Mr.  Stapleton,  you  are  at 
liberty  to  push  on  any  time.  I  have  had  your  launch 
replenished  with  coal,  and  provisions  shall  be  placed 
aboard  her.  You  will  hardly  need  a  crew,  I  should 
say,  seeing  that  you  have  brought  her  all  this  way  with 
one  man  only  and  have  now  no  enemies  to  fear.  But 
let  me  warn  you.  You  must  on  no  account  put  into 
Elmina.  The  neighbourhood  is  in  the  hands  of  the 
enemy.  The  Elminas  there  have  proved  false,  and 
have  thrown  in  their  lot  with  the  enemy.     An  attack 


Ill    Home   Waters  213 


in  force  was  niatle  un  the  town  and  beaten  off,  five 
hundred  of  the  enemy  being  killed.  Vou  would  be 
fired  on,  not  that  that  would  matter  much  now,  for  you 
must  be  used  to  the  experience,  but  it  might  be  awk- 
ward.    Push  straight  on  for  Cape  Coast  Castle." 

He  said  the  words  with  a  friendly  smile  and  a 
twinkle  of  amusement,  while  he  gripped  Dick  by  the 
hand.  There  was  no  doubt,  in  fact,  that  he  was  as 
impressed  with  the  modestly  described  tale  of  Dick's 
atlventures  as  were  the  crew  with  the  lurid  accounts 
which  Johnnie  had  given  them.  And  his  comrades  in 
ward  and  gun  rooms  endorsed  his  opinion.  It  was 
long  since  they  had  met  with  such  pluck  and  deter- 
mination, or  with  one  who  carried  his  honours  so  easily 
and  unconsciously. 

"It's  what  I  like  to  see,"  said  the  Commodore,  as 
his  guest  left  the  cabin.  "Xo  side,  like  some  of  these 
civilians  of  youthful  age.  Xo  pomposity  when  speak- 
ing of  the  natives  or  of  men  in  a  lower  station.  Good 
sense  all  through.  Politeness  and  good  temper,  which 
show  the  gentleman;  and  plenty  of  grit.  My  word, 
Hilden,  a  fellow  in  our  service  would  deserve  promo- 
tion for  such  conduct." 

Plalf  an  hour  afterwards  there  was  a  commotion 
aboard  the  Rutllcsiiakc  as  Dick  prepared  to  leave.  A 
right  hearty  farewell  was  given  him,  and  numerous 
invitations  to  come  again,  such  is  the  geniality  and 
hospitality  of  the  Xavy.  The  sailors  and  marines  had 
again  congregated  on  the  deck,  for  they  love  to  see 
an  officer  who  has  done  well,  and  never  spare  their 
praise  where  it  is  merited.  And  down  l^elow,  stand- 
ing in  the  launch,  was  Johnnie,  waving  to  his  bosom 


2  14    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

friends  above,  his  short  clay  pipe  gripped  between  his 
sharp  white  teeth,  and  emitting  now  the  aroma  of  a 
different  brand  of  tobacco,  the  powerful,  far-penetrat- 
ing scent  of  Navy  shag,  the  smoke  which  tries  the 
stomach  of  the  raw  recruits.  Johnnie  was  unaltered 
in  appearance,  save  that  he  had  had  a  wash.  A  bucket 
and  a  piece  of  soap  had  transformed  him  sufficiently, 
and  he  stood  there  below  in  his  old  clothing,  looking 
just  as  he  did  at  the  stockade,  save  that  the  garments 
were  now  more  ragged  and  stained,  while  there  was  a 
huge  rent  extending  up  one  leg  to  the  knee.  The 
wound  on  his  cheek  was  there,  covered  with  a  piece  of 
strapping,  which  gave  it  unusual  and  ghastly  propor- 
tions. Johnnie  was  undoubtedly  proud  of  that  wound, 
and  thought  no  more  of  lost  beauty.  He  laughed  and 
chattered,  and  seeing  Dick  about  to  descend,  called  out 
a  final  farewell  to  his  late  entertainers. 

"Golly !  you  come  all  to  Sierra  Leone  and  see  how 
Johnnie  do  for  yo !  Plenty  eat,  plenty  drink,  and  all 
berry  glad  yo  come.  Dance  and  sing,  play  de  banjo 
or  flute.  Yes,  yo  come,  and  Massa  Dick  be  dere  to 
meet  yo.     S'  long,  yo  boys;  glad  we  meet." 

There  was  a  roar  from  the  deck  above. 

"So  long,  cocky.  If  yer  get  tired  o'  stokin'  that  'ere 
kettle,  jest  apply  aboard  this  here  ship.  Plenty  of 
baccy  and  grub,  cocky,  and  you'll  be  welcome.  And, 
Johnnie,"  one  of  the  voices  suddenly  broke  in,  silencing 
the  others,  "when  yer  come  again  with  Mr.  Stapleton, 
jest  remember  that  quids  is  scarce  aboard  this  here 
ship.  Jest  tip  'im  the  wink  and  bring  aboard  a  few 
of  them  'ere  bags  o'  gold.  We  could  do  with  a  little 
extry  pay  and  allowances." 


In    Home   Waters  215 

That  brought  forth  another  roar,  and  a  cheer  as 
Dick  took  his  place  at  the  tiller,  a  tiller  which  now, 
thanks  to  the  kindness  of  the  Commodore  and  tiie  skill 
of  the  carpenter,  had  been  retitted. 

"Cast  ofT!"  cried  Dick.  "Ahead.  Let  'er  have  it. 
Sound  that  whistle.  Johnnie." 

Thev  went  away  from  the  side  of  the  Rattlcsuuke 
with  a  rush,  and  were  soon  steaming  along  the  coast, 
increasing  tlieir  distance  from  their  late  friends  rapidly. 
Then  they  set  their  eyes  towards  Elmina  and  Cape 
Coast  Castle,  which  they  hoped  to  reach  before  night. 
Presently  they  sighted  the  fort  at  Elmina.  with  the 
native  town  and  tiie  expanse  of  cleared  ground,  precau- 
tions which  the  Dutch  had  taken  against  fever,  but 
which,  in  spite  of  the  example  thus  set  them,  and  the 
crying  need,  the  English  had  not  yet  attempted  at  Cape 
Coast  Castle.     Then  they  steamed  on  along  the  coast, 
rising  and  falling  with  the  swell,  while  the  music  of 
the  surf  as  it  fell  on  the  sandy  beach  came  to  their 
ears.     In  due  course  they  sighted  the  huge,  irregular 
erection  known  as  the  Castle,  and  very  soon  the  launch 
was  moored  off  the  beach.     Dick  signalled  for  a  surf- 
boat  and  in  half  an  hour  had  reached  the  shore,  taking 
with  him  his  store  of  gold.     There  were  plenty  of 
native  porters  alxxit.  and  he  hired  six.  who  at  once  took 
up  the  bags.     Then  the  procession  set  off,  and  crossing 
the  bridge  which  separates  the  native  town  from  the 
European    settlements,    turned    its   steps   towards   the 
house  in  which  Mr.  Stapleton  had  lived.     No  one  was 
out  as  the  party  arrived,  so  Dick  had  the  bags  piled 
on  the  edge  of  the  verandah.     He  had  a  little  money 
with  him.  and  therefore  was  able  to  dismiss  the  car- 


2i6    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

riers.  Then  he  pulled  at  the  bell,  while  he  stood  on 
the  verandah  keeping  guard  over  the  gold.  There 
was  a  shuffling  of  feet,  and  a  few  seconds  later  a  tall, 
slim  figure  emerged  from  the  main  room,  and  gave 
vent  to  a  cry  of  amazement. 

It  was  Mr.  Pepson,  gaunter  than  ever,  with  signs 
of  suffering  written  on  his  face,  which  now  showed 
the  utmost  astonishment  and  delight.  Never  had  Dick 
seen  him  so  betray  his  feelings.  He  almost  shed  tears, 
and  gripped  our  hero's  hand  so  firmly  that  the  fingers 
ached.  Meanwhile  Dick  noticed  that  something  had 
happened  to  his  employer,  for  he  wore  one  arm  in  a 
sling,  while  there  was  a  large  strip  of  plaster  at  the 
back  of  his  head. 

"Another  wound  which  I  owe  to  the  Ashantis,"  said 
Mr.  Pepson,  breaking  the  silence.  "We  were  attacked 
and  cut  up.  But  sit  down.  Fm  still  very  weak,  and 
your  unexpected  return  has  staggered  me.  I  never 
hoped  to  see  you  alive  again,  my  boy.  I  have  blamed 
myself  over  and  over  again  that  the  desire  to  obtain 
gold  from  this  mine  should  have  induced  me  to  place 
you  in  such  a  dangerous  position.  And  you  are 
wounded,  too.  Why,  you  are  limping,  and  there  are 
bandages  here  and  there !" 

Dick  admitted  the  fact,  for  the  surgeon  aboard  the 
Rattlesnake  had  insisted  on  dressing  his  wounds. 

"But  you,  sir,  and  Meinheer?"  he  asked.  "You 
were  attacked?" 

"Treacherously,  and  I  grieve  to  say  that  the  agent 
who  was  returning  with  us  was  killed  at  the  first  dis- 
charge. It  was  quite  near  the  mouth  of  the  Pra,  and 
we  thought  that  there  was  nothing  more  to  fear.     We 


K    .\i  .1-  >  I     '■>   \ "     K  I  1  i  I.  i  1    A  I      I  ii  I.    i  I  I,  -  1     I  '1  -'   11  M\i  .h 


In    Home   Waters  217 

made  a  capital  trip  of  it  and  everything  looked  well. 
Suddenly  shots  were  fired  at  us  from  the  bush,  and  a 
boat  pushed  out  toward  us.  Our  agent,  as  I  have  said, 
was  killed  at  the  very  first  discharge,  while  I  was 
struck  on  the  head,  and  was  almost  stunned.  Still  I 
managed  to  seize  a  paddle,  and  Meinheer  did  the  same. 
We  paddled  for  our  lives,  with  the  natives  in  hot  pur- 
suit. I  hardly  know  how  it  happened  afterwards,  but 
think  that  i^leinheer  must  have  been  cramped,  and 
endeavoured  to  change  his  position.  He  slipped,  fell 
against  the  side  of  the  boat,  and — well,  you  know  his 
size  and  weight — it  capsized  us  instantly,  and  we  were 
thrown  into  the  river.  I  never  saw  him  again.  He 
may  have  clung  to  the  boat  and  been  captured.  On  the 
other  hand,  it  is  more  than  probable  that  he  went 
straight  to  the  bottom.  As  for  myself,  I  swam  for 
the  bank  and  scrambled  ashore,  receiving  another 
wound  as  I  left  the  water.  Then  I  raced  on  into  the 
bush  with  those  fiends  after  me,  and  finally  fell  ex- 
hausted. But  they  must  have  given  up  the  chase,  for 
when  I  regained  consciousness  there  was  no  one  about. 
I  was  desperately  fagged,  but  I  knew  that  I  should  die 
like  a  dog  if  I  remained  there,  so  I  plunged  on  through 
the  bush,  and  finally  hit  the  river.  Then  I  came  upon 
some  friendly  natives  who  brought  me  here.  That's 
all,  my  boy,  and  I  am  more  than  grieved  to  have  to 
narrate  it.  Poor  Meinheer  is  gone,  and  if  you  had 
been  killed  also  1  should  have  been  heart-broken:  I 
thank  Heaven  that  you  are  safe.  Now  sit  down  and 
tell  me  how  you  managed  to  win  through." 

"First  of  all,  what  shall  be  done  with  these  bags?" 
asked  Uick.     "They  contain  gold  dust  and  nuggets. 


2  1 8    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

The  mine  was  doing  very  well,  and  there  were  rich 
finds,  so  that  I  have  been  able  to  bring  you  a  good 
return." 

Again  there  was  amazement  on  Mr.  Pepson's  face. 
He  gazed  at  his  young  agent  as  though  he  could  not 
believe  his  eyes  and  ears.  Then  he  motioned  to  him 
to  sit  down. 

"I  care  more  for  your  story,"  he  said.  "The  gold 
is  nothing  to  me  till  I  hear  that.  Sit  down,  and  let  me 
hear  all  about  your  doings." 

It  was  late  that  night  when  the  two  turned  in,  and 
on  the  following  morning,  when  the  gold  had  been 
safely  deposited  at  the  bank,  they  resumed  the  conver- 
sation, for  Dick  had  a  question  to  put.  His  heart  was 
in  the  country,  and  he  desired  above  all  things  to  see 
the  war  through.  Besides,  the  idea  of  taking  part  in 
a  campaign  fascinated  him,  and  he  longed  to  go  up- 
country  to  Kumasi  with  the  troops. 


CHAPTER  XIII 
On    Special    Service 

"Here  is  the  letter,  sir,  which  the  Commodore  gave  me 
to  carry  to  the  Governor,"  said  Dick,  as  he  and  Air. 
Pepson  took  up  the  conversation  of  the  previous  day. 
"He  offered  me  a  post  with  the  expedition  which  will 
be  sent  to  Kumasi,  and  I  dechned  it  until  I  had  seen 
my  employers.     What  are  your  wishes  in  the  matter?" 

"That  you  should  go,"  was  the  prompt  reply.  "My 
inclination  at  first  when  I  returned  here  was  to  go 
back  to  England  at  once,  for  I  began  to  hate  this  coun- 
try. But  I  thought  of  you,  and  I  stayed  on  the  chance 
of  your  turning  up.  Now  I  think  of  Meinheer.  I 
give  you  full  permission  to  take  this  post,  with  the 
agreement  that  you  still  remain  my  agent,  and  draw 
your  salary.  That  will  be  a  retaining  fee.  for  when 
the  war  is  over  I  shall  want  you  again.  There,  you 
are  free  to  go,  and  I  am  sure  you  will  do  much  for  our 
cause." 

That  afternoon  Dick  appeared  at  Government 
House,  a  familiar  place  to  him,  and  handed  his  letter 
to  the  Governor,  who  was  delighted  to  see  him. 

"Of  course  we  shall  be  glad  to  have  you,"  he  said, 
219 


2  20    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

"and  I  will  send  along  an  official  appointment  this 
evening,  stating  your  pay  and  allowance.  For  the 
present  there  is  nothing  for  you  to  do,  save  perhaps 
to  ascertain  from  the  natives  what  is  the  present  where- 
abouts of  the  Ashantis.  When  Sir  Garnet  Wolseley 
arrives  he  will  no  doubt  have  work  for  you.  You 
look  thin  and  pale.  Take  a  rest,  my  boy.  A  white 
man  cannot  work  for  so  long  out  here  in  the  forest 
without  feeling  the  effects  of  the  climate." 

But  Dick  Stapleton  was  young  and  inclined  at  times 
to  be  foolhardy.  He  had  the  objection  to  remaining 
still  common  to  every  lad  of  his  age.  He  loathed 
molly-coddling,  and  though  at  times  he  felt  feverish, 
his  stubborn  nature  would  not  let  him  give  in,  lest  he 
should  be  thought  to  be  shamming.  And  so,  within  a 
few  days  of  his  arrival  back  at  the  coast,  he  was  ex- 
ploring the  mouth  of  the  Pra  once  more,  with  Johnnie 
as  stoker,  and  a  crew  of  ten  bluejackets  from  the  Rat- 
tlesnake, all  intent  upon  a  brush  with  the  enemy. 

"Pending  the  arrival  of  Sir  Garnet  and  the  troops, 
you  will  do  your  utmost  to  obtain  tidings  of  the 
enemy,"  said  the  Commodore,  as  he  bade  farewell  to 
our  hero..  "And  above  all,  Dick,  no  meetings  with 
armies,  if  you  please.  You  have  as  complete  a  selec- 
tion of  stores  atoard  as  we  could  think  of,  and  your 
crew  are  all  picked  men.  Make  the  Rattlesnake  your 
headquarters,  returning  here  with  news  whenever  you 
can." 

And  so  Dick  set  off,  in  command  of  an  expedition 
for  the  first  time,  and  a  proud  man  he  felt,  too,  as  he 
sat  at  the  tiller,  with  his  eye  on  his  fine  crew.  But  he 
had  only  ascended  a  very  few  miles  of  the  river  Pra 


On  Special  Service  221 

when  he  met  witli  an  enemy  even  more  dangerous  than 
tlie  Ashantis.  One  morning,  as  he  sprawled  on  the 
deck  to  eat  his  hreakfast,  he  was  seized  with  a  curious 
sensation. 

"What  is  there,  Johnnie?"  he  asked  hstlessly,  toying 
witli  the  pocket  fork  and  knife  which  all  campaigners 
carry. 

"liot  coffee,  massa,  berry  hot;  and  golly!  look  at 
dem  tinned  sausages !  Johnnie  take  dem  from  de  tin 
jest  now,  and  look  how  dey  frizzle!" 

Dick  did  look,  and  on  another  occasion  he  would 
have  fallen  upon  the  food  with  eagerness,  for  an  expe- 
dition of  any  sort  encourages  a  healthy  appetite.  But 
this  morning,  strangely  enough,  he  could  not  eat. 
The  sight  of  food  sickened  him.  He  pushed  his  plate 
away  and  took  to  his  pipe.  Even  that  did  not  please 
him.  The  taste  was  all  wrong,  and  he  sat  down,  look- 
ing dejected,  for  the  first  time  for  many  a  day.  Then 
he  commenced  to  shiver,  till  his  teeth  rattled  together 
like  castanets. 

"  'E's  got  it,  sure  enough,"  whispered  one  of  the 
salts,  an  old  hand  on  the  coast.  "This  cruise  'as  come 
to  a  end,  chummies.  Look  at  'im  shivcrin'.  It's  a  bit 
of  bad  luck,  mates,  'cos  'e  was  the  boy  to  show  us  some 
fun.  Beg  pardon,  sir,"  he  went  on,  coming  to  Dick's 
side,  "but  ain't  ycr  feeling  quite  up  to  it?  Let's  feel 
yer  'and." 

Without  further  ceremony  he  took  the  hand  which 
hung  listlessly  at  his  young  commander's  side,  and 
put  his  finger  on  the  pulse,  at  the  wrist,  for  this  tar 
had  had  some  instruction,  and  was  an  intelligent  fel- 
low.    Then  he  turned  to  one  of  his  mates. 


222    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

"Fetch  along  that  'ere  medicine  pannier,"  he  said 
shortly.  "Now,  then,  open  it  carefully,  and  jest  lift 
out  that  'ere  box.  If  yer  please,  sir,  jest  put  this  under 
yer  tongue." 

With  deft  fingers  he  produced  a  thermometer  from 
the  medicine  chest,  and  placed  it  in  Dick's  mouth. 
Three  minutes  later  he  inspected  it,  while  the  look  on 
his  jolly  face  turned  to  one  of  concern. 

"Are  yer  cold,  sir  ?"  he  asked  sympathetically. 

"No;  but  awfully  hot.  I'm  burning  all  over,"  was 
the  answer.     "And  I'm  very  thirsty." 

"And  you've  got  a  temperature.  Tom  Huggins 
there,  'bout  ship;  and,  Johnnie,  let  'er  skip  till  we're 
out  of  the  river.  The  orfficer's  got  a  go  of  fever,  and 
sooner  he's  aboard  the  Rattlesnake  and  at  sea  the  better 
for  him  and  all  of  us.  I'll  get  yer  a  blanket,  sir,  and 
make  yer  comfortable." 

They  w^ere  all  very  good  to  their  young  commander, 
and  took  care  of  him  as  if  he  were  a  child,  till  they 
reached  the  open  sea  and  espied  the  Rattlesnake.  An 
hour  later  he  was  lying  on  the  after  deck  beneath  an 
awning,  tossing  with  fever,  and  with  an  orderly  from 
the  sick  bay  told  off  to  keep  special  watch  and  ward 
over  him.  For  Dick  had  a  severe  attack.  The  re- 
sponsible work  at  the  stockade,  the  fear  of  a  sudden 
appearance  of  the  enemy,  and  the  flight  had  all  aided 
a  notoriously  bad  climate.  And  at  last  he  was  down 
with  malaria,  which  kept  him  aboard  the  ship  for  a 
month. 

While  he  is  lying  there,  with  plenty  of  friends  about 
him  to  see  to  his  welfare,  we  will  step  aside  for  a  little 
while,   and   review  matters  at  the  coast.     War,   for 


On  Special  Scnice  223 

\var's  sake,  is  seldom  waged,  except  amongst  savage 
tribes.  And  even  \\itli  them  there  is  usually  some 
grievance,  some  cause  which  leads  to  the  outbreak  of 
hostilities.  It  may  be  that  more  country  is  desired, 
that  the  men  of  a  certain  tribe  desire  to  take  wives 
from  another,  or  that  some  injury  done  to  a  nation 
or  a  race  years  and  years  before  has  left  a  feeling  of 
bitterness  and  a  desire  for  vengeance;  a  grudge  is 
owed,  and  is  paid  back  at  the  first  moment  when  those 
who  have  sustained  the  injury  are  strong  enough  to 
fight.  But  Britain  does  not  conduct  her  wars  in  that 
manner.  The  numerous  little  expeditions  and  minor 
cami)aigns  upon  which  she  is  so  often  engaged  are 
almost  invariably  the  direct  result  of  molestation  from 
some  race  living  on  her  borders. 

For  years,  perhaps,  she  has  patiently  suffered  the 
injury,  hoping  by  diplomacy  to  put  an  end  to  the  w^hole 
trouble.  Then,  when  her  patience  is  exhausted,  and 
diplomacy  has  failed ;  or  when  the  aggressors  have 
become  still  more  audacious,  she  finds  that  war  is  neces- 
sary, that  nothing  but  armed  interference  will  bring 
peace  to  that  particular  border.  Too  often  her  patience 
and  forl^earance  have  been  mistaken  by  an  untutored 
race  for  weakness,  and  thus  it  happens  that  the  foes  she 
has  to  meet  are  more  numerous  than  they  might  have 
been.  However,  the  history  of  these  small  wars  is, 
as  a  rule,  so  very  similar  that  one  campaign  differs 
only  in  detail  from  another.  Troops  are  sent  to  the 
part,  there  is  an  invasion,  and.  most  likely,  severe  fight- 
ing. \'illagcs  are  taken  and  burned,  forts  are  stormed, 
and  men  killed  and  captured.  There  may  Ix;  a  reverse, 
for  one  cannot  hope  for  continued  good  fortune.     But 


2  24    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

persistence,  good  training-  and  discipline  tell  in  the  end. 
The  tribe  is  conquered,  a  fine  is  levied,  and  in  numerous 
cases  the  British  Commissioner  left  to  aid  in  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  country  settles  down  peaceably,  and 
a  new  order  commences  to  reign.  So  much  so  that  in 
time  the  very  race  which  had  been  opposed  to  us  begins 
to  see  some  virtue  in  our  friendship,  and  when  another 
campaign  takes  place  against  some  neighbouring  chief, 
old  enemies  are  united  in  the  effort  to  subdue  the  com- 
mon foe. 

Britain  had  had  trouble  with  the  men  of  Ashanti 
before  this  time,  when  Dick  Stapleton  had  been  prac- 
tically the  first  to  have  a  brush  with  them.  We  had 
crossed  swords  with  the  Ashantis  more  than  once,  and 
with  varying  success;  but,  unlike  other  races,  these 
men  inhabiting  the  forest  beyond  the  coast-line  had 
maintained  their  independence  and  their  bitterness. 
For  they  had  always  a  cause  for  war,  and  as  the  reader 
will  see  presently,  that  cause  had  been  increased  since 
we  acquired  the  town  and  port  of  Elmina  from  the 
Dutch.  The  Ashantis  were  at  this  time  a  powerful 
nation,  for  the  most  part  trained  to  war,  and  it  will 
have  been  gathered  that,  owing  to  the  fact  that  there  is 
ample  gold  in  their  country,  they  were  a  wealthy  nation 
as  compared  with  many  others  in  a  similar  condition 
of  civilization.  Moreover,  the  commercial  spirit  was 
strong  within  them.  They  traded  with  the  interior, 
and  for  many  years  caravans  had  passed  to  Kumasi 
across  the  country  lying  still  farther  from  the  sea, 
carrying  products  of  Africa,  ivory  in  large  quantities, 
food-stufifs  and  cottons,  and  what  was  appreciated  far 
more  perhaps,   slaves  in  plenty.     And   in  return  the 


On  Special  Service  225 

men  who  brouglit  these  caravans  to  Kumasi  received 
gold  dust,  and  the  highly  prized  kola  nut.  Thus,  it 
will  be  seen  that  the  Ashantis  were  unlike  many  savage 
races.  They  were  in  friendly  communication  with  far- 
ofif  peoples,  and,  owing  to  the  peculiar  resources  of 
their  country,  to  the  gold  found  there,  and  mainly  to 
the  kola  nut,  which  grows  in  profusion,  and  which 
was  then  extensively  cultivated,  they  were  rich  and 
prosperous.  It  was  only  natural  that,  with  money  to 
spend  and  a  coast  so  near,  they  should  desire  to  have  a 
port  where  they  could  trade  with  other  nations,  and 
through  which,  in  exchange  for  their  surplus  gold, 
they  could  obtain  European  goods,  and,  above  all,  gims 
and  ammunition.  For  much  wealth  brings  the  desire 
for  more.  It  engenders  a  feeling  of  pride  and  supe- 
riority in  the  savage  breast,  and  it  is  hardly  to  be  won- 
dered at  that  the  Ashantis,  looking  about  them  and 
comparing  their  own  degree  of  comfort  and  civilization 
with  that  of  their  less  fortunate  neightours,  desired  to 
increase  their  wealth.  With  guns  and  powder  they 
could  fight,  and  could  conquer  neighbouring  nations. 
And  with  guns  they  could  make  sure  of  a  port  on  the 
coast. 

It  will  be  realized  that  with  her  object  gained, 
Ashanti  would  hardly  look  favourably  upon  any  nation 
which  attempted  to  put  a  stop  to  her  coast  trade,  and 
there  is  no  doubt  that  it  was  Britain's  determination 
to  arrest  the  import  of  guns  and  ammunition  which 
led  to  the  war  which  had  now  commenced.  For  the 
reader  will  recollect  that  Elmina  had  just  passed  into 
our  hands,  having  been  purchased  from  the  Dutch, 
who  had  for  very  many  years  maintained  a  trade  with 


2  26    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

the  Ashantis.  Now,  however,  Britain,  being  in  pos- 
session of  this  port — if  Elmina  can  be  given  such  a  title 
— determined  to  put  an  end  to  the  trade  in  guns,  and 
indeed  to  all  trade,  till  matters  were  satisfactorily  set- 
tled with  the  King  of  Ashanti.  For  if  he  had  a  griev- 
ance, so  also  had  we.  For  years  we  had  been  on  bad 
terms,  and  now,  when  Ashanti  armies  were  threatening 
the  coast,  and  a  demand  was  being  made  for  free  trade 
with  Elmina,  a  request  on  our  part  met  with  refusal. 
King  Kofifee  held  certain  Europeans  as  captives,  and 
before  we  would  discuss  the  question  of  trade  with 
him,  we  desired  the  return  of  those  captives,  a  request 
which  was  refused,  a  large  ransom  being  demanded. 
Then  followed  negotiations,  till  King  Kofifee,  a  despot 
ruling  over  an  extensive  country,  and  with  much 
hoarded  wealth,  lost  all  patience.  He  was  a  powerful 
king,  he  said  to  himself,  and  could  put  fifty  thousand 
armed  and  trained  men  in  the  field.  Why  should  he 
take  "nay"  from  a  race  of  white  men  living  on  the 
coast?  Why  should  Ashanti  be  hemmed  within  her 
forests?  She  was  powerful  and  could  eat  these  white 
men  up. 

Promptly  the  armies  were  organized,  and  while 
Britain  still  dallied,  the  King  of  Ashanti  invaded  our 
protectorate.  But  still  Britain  held  her  hand,  for  this 
was  a  native  war,  and  because  the  Ashantis  had  at- 
tacked the  Fantis  and  other  tribes,  there  was  no  reason 
why  we  should  send  troops  to  this  notoriously  un- 
healthy coast,  and  fight  their  battles.  Thus  it  happened 
that  matters  at  Cape  Coast  dragged  on,  while  all  trade 
with  the  interior  ceased. 

If  the  invasion  of  the  protectorate  had  ended  with 


On  Special  Scr\ice  227 

an  attack  upon  the  Fantis  and  other  races,   Britain 
might  well  have  continued  her  policy  of  aloofness,  for 
she  had  nothing  to  gain  by  invading  Ashanti.     She 
had  tried  to  do  so  on  fonner  occasions,  and  had  failed 
disastrously.     And  so  she  was  minded  now  to  leave 
matters  till  King  Koffee  and  his  armies  had  settled 
their  quarrel  with  their  neighbours,  when  perhaps  there 
would  be  a  satisfactory  ending  to  the  negotiations,  and 
peace  would  result.     Then  trade  would  be  reopened, 
gims  and  ammunition  excepted,  and  the  white  men  on 
the  coast  would  have  ample  opportunities  of  reaping  a 
harvest,  for,  as  has  been  said.  Ashanti  was  a  wealthy 
country.     However,  matters  did  not  stop  at  invasion 
of  our  protectorate.     While  Dick  was  at  the  mine, 
looking  after  the  affairs  of  his  employers,  the  forces  of 
King    Koffee    attacked    Elmina.     They    induced    the 
natives  of  that  town  and  other  places  bought  by  us 
from  the  Dutch,  to  join  them,  and  Britain  suddenly 
awakened  to  the  fact  that  the  enemy  was  at  her  very 
door,  and  that  they  meant  to  wage  war  with  the  white 
man.     If  there  had  been  any  doubt  as  to  the  intentions 
of  the  Asliantis,  the  attacks  made  by  their  friends  and 
allies  on  the  boats  of  the  Rottlcsiiakc  were  sufficiently 
convincing  proofs.     It  was  war.  and  Britain  found  her- 
self, as  is  too  often  the  case,  utterly  unprepared  for  it. 
But  she  girded  on  her  sword,  and  preparations  were 
pushed  fonvard  so  as  to  enable  us  to  drive  the  Ashantis 
back,  and  march  on  their  capital. 

That  was  the  condition  of  affairs  existing  when  Dick 
reached  the  coast,  and  it  was  only  because  of  the  iso- 
lated position  of  the  mine  that  he  had  failed  to  hear 
earlier  of  the  Ashanti  invasion.    There  were  few  troops 


228    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

at  Cape  Coast  Castle,  and  few  officers.  There  were 
practically  no  stores,  and  certainly  insufficient  to  sup- 
port an  expedition.  All  was  being  prepared  in  Britain, 
while  ships  were  loading  every  sort  of  item  likely  to  be 
serviceable  in  the  coming  campaign. 

Sir  Garnet  Wolseley,  a  brilliant  officer,  and  one  of 
our  youngest  generals,  had  been  chosen  to  command, 
while  a  staff  of  officers  had  been  appointed  who  would 
help  him  in  the  campaign  and  make  success  as  sure  as 
possible. 

And  now  a  few  words  more  before  we  leave  the 
subject  of  Ashanti  history.  Cape  Coast  Castle  was 
settled  by  the  Portuguese,  and  was  ceded  to  the  Dutch 
in  1 64 1.  In  1655  "^'^  captured  it,  and  it  was  secured 
to  Britain  by  treaty.  Thus,  at  the  time  of  this  out- 
break, we  had  been  in  possession  for  more  than  two 
hundred  years.  And  what  had  we  done  during  that 
time?  The  reader  who  is  accustomed  to  the  tale  of 
British  progress  in  our  Colonies  and  India,  in  fact,  in 
any  part  where  men  of  our  race  gather,  might  well 
expect  to  find  improvement  here  also.  But  such  was 
not  the  case.  Cape  Coast  Castle  at  this  moment  was 
much  the  same  as  it  had  been  when  we  took  it  from 
the  Dutch.  No  efforts  had  been  made  to  clear  the 
forest,  and  to  provide  an  open  space.  The  town  was 
as  unhealthy  a  place  as  could  well  be  found.  Trade 
flourished  to  a  certain  extent,  but  might  have  been 
vastly  improved.  And  lastly,  we  might  have  encour- 
aged the  advances  of  the  powerful  Ashantis,  and  there- 
by gained  a  vast  trade.  We  might  have  opened  up 
roads  to  the  interior,  and  dredged  the  rivers,  thus 
enabling  our  own  manufactures  to  find  a  market,  and 


On  Special  Service  229 

in  place  of  sending  numerous  presents  to  the  reigning 
monarch  of  Ashanti.  with  a  view  to  concihating  him, 
we  might  very  well   have  made  a  treaty  with   him, 
wherehy  commerce  might  have  been  improved  on  both 
sides.     Both  those  who  ruled  British  affairs  on  the 
Gold  Coast  practised  a  short-sighted  policy,  with  the 
result  that  we  had  come  into  conflict  on  at  least  four 
occasions  with  the  Ashantis,  and  on  nearly  all  these 
occasions  the  question  between  the  two  nations  was 
one  of  commerce.     The  powerful  Ashantis  were  im- 
patient of  the  white  man's  interference.     We  blocked 
the  way  to  the  sea.  and  the  people  of  Kumasi  desired 
a  free  opening,  by  means  of  which  they  might  exchange 
home   products    for   guns   and   other   items    much    in 
re(juest  by  them. 

And  now  the  position  was  precisely  the  same,  only 
the  purchase  of  Elmina  had  brought  matters  to  a  head. 
King  Koffee  had  demanded  the  fort  there,  claiming 
that" it  was  his.  and  had  been  met  with  curt  refusal. 
Then,  it  is  said,  our  Governor  on  the  Gold  Coast  at- 
tempted to  interfere  with  the  barbanxis  customs  of  the 
Elminas.  a  mixed  race  inhabiting  the  neighbourhood 
of  the  town.     This  people  had  never  encountered  diffi- 
culty on  the  same  score  from  the  Dutch,  and  they 
naturallv  resented  the  action.     More  than  likely  also 
they  were  bribed  by  the  Ashantis.     But,  as  has  been 
seen,  they  promptly  retaliated  by  throwing  in  their  lot 
with  King  Koffee.  and  by  inviting  him  to  invade  the 
protectorate.      An.d    that    invasion    had    carried    the 
Ashantis  up  to  the  very  edge  of  Cape  Coast  Castle, 
and  had  resulted  in  a  Iwmbardment  of  Elmina.     Then 
matters  had  settled  for  a  time,  and  little  was  heard  of 


230    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

the  armies  of  the  potentate  of  Kumasi,  till  our  hero 
rushed  clown  upon  them  on  the  Prahsu.  But  for  that 
chance  meeting  and  the  outrageous  ambush  laid  for  the 
sailors,  those  in  authority  at  Cape  Coast  Castle  would 
have  still  gone  on  with  the  comfortable  thought  that 
King  Koffee  meant  no  great  harm  to  the  white  men. 
True,  he  had  joined  with  the  Elminas,  and  there  had 
been  an  incursion  of  his  armies  to  that  place,  necessi- 
tating an  attack  by  the  guns  of  tlie  fleet.  But  he  had 
since  disappeared,  and  though  complaints  came  from 
the  Fantis  and  others  that  they  were  still  suffering, 
there  was  no  evidence  of  that  fact  at  the  coast.  It 
seemed,  indeed,  as  if  the  trouble  were  subsiding,  and 
as  if  King  Koffee  realized  the  hopelessness  of  the 
struggle.  It  was  thought  that  he  would  treat  with  the 
Government  again,  and  would  hand  over  the  captives ; 
then  a  treaty  could  be  made  with  him,  and  trade  be  re- 
vived. Meanwhile  it  was  risky  to  ascend  the  Pra.  or 
enter  the  country  of  Ashanti.  Think,  then,  of  the  as- 
tonishment of  the  officials  on  the  coast  when  Dick  re- 
turned with  his  news,  when,  added  to  the  treacherous 
attack  made  upon  the  Navy,  resulting  in  such  severe 
losses,  came  definite  news  of  a  large  Ashanti  army  on 
the  Prahsu.  And  very  soon  the  advance  of  this  same 
army  was  reported  by  friendly  natives,  so  that  there 
could  no  longer  be  any  doubt  that  serious  trouble  was 
impending.  The  eyes  of  those  in  authority  opened  very 
wide  indeed.  Already  it  had  been  decided  that  troops 
were  wanted;  but  now  that  need  was  undoubtedly 
urgent. 

When  a  month  had  passed,  therefore,  and  Dick  was 
again  out  of  his  hammock,  the  aspect  at  the  coast  had 


On  Special  Service  231 

changed.  Where  before  had  been  peace  and  repose, 
was  now  the  utmost  bustle.  The  Rattlesnake  had 
gone,  and  other  ships  had  taken  her  place.  Dick  him- 
self was  aboard  a  hospital  ship  which  had  been  sent  to 
the  coast,  while  in  the  roads,  lying  a  mile  from  the 
shore,  with  swarms  of  surf-boats  manned  by  laughing 
kroomen  about  them,  were  transports  discharging  men 
and  supplies. 

One  in  particular  drew  the  attention  of  all  eyes,  for 
she  was  the  Ambris;,  African  mail  steamer,  and  she 
had  just  lirought  Sir  Garnet,  together  with  his  staff. 
Dick  looked  eagerly  at  her,  wondering  whether  he 
would  be  given  an  opportunity  to  meet  this  famous 
General,  who  at  this  moment  had  the  honours  of  the 
Red  River  Expedition  fresh  upon  him.  He  wondered, 
too,  whether  his  appointment  would  meet  with  ap- 
proval, and  whether  his  duties  would  take  him  soon 
into  the  country  of  the  enemy. 

"I'm  fit  and  well  at  any  rate,"  he  said  to  himself,  as 
he  leaned  against  the  rail.  "Tliere's  nothing  like  sea 
breeze  to  clear  fe\'er  away,  and  though  I  own  that  I 
was  as  weak  as  a  rat  when  I  was  transferred  here,  I 
am  now,  thanks  to  the  excellent  rations  provided,  as  fit 
as  I  ever  was." 

"And  depend  upon  it,  you  will  soon  l)e  emplin'ed," 
answered  a  young  officer,  who  stood  beside  him,  and 
who,  having  volunteered  for  service,  had  come  out 
with  Sir  Garnet,  only  to  fall  ill  on  the  voyage  and  l^e 
sent  to  the  hospital  ship  within  a  few  hours  of  reach- 
ing the  coast.  "We  shall  all  be  at  it  soon,  and  I'm 
glad  that  I've  had  this  attack  now,  and  not  waited  till 
later.     Hullo!  there  comes  the  Governor's  launch." 


2  22    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

They  watched  the  tiny  vessel  steam  away  from  its 
anchorage  just  beyond  the  surf  opposite  Cape  Coast 
Castle,  for,  as  has  been  explained,  there  was  no  harbour 
on  this  coast,  nothing-  had  been  done  to  afford  protec- 
tion to  even  the  smallest  shipping.  The  launch  stood 
away  from  the  shore,  and  presently  arrived  at  the 
gangway  hanging  to  the  side  of  the  hospital  ship. 
There  was  a  staff  officer  atoard,  and  having  ascended 
to  the  deck,  and  saluted  the  medical  officer  in  charge, 
he  descended  ^^'ith  him  to  the  cabin.  A  few  minutes 
later  he  came  up  again,  and  his  companion  pointed  to 
Dick. 

'There  he  is,"  he  said,  with  a  good-natured  smile. 
"I  pass  him  as  fit,  and  shall  be  glad  to  get  rid  of  him, 
for,  'pon  my  word,  the  youngster  has  been  the  worry 
of  my  life.  Every  day  he  has  pestered  me  to  allow 
him  to  go  ashore.     Take  him  and  welcome." 

"Then,  Mr.  Stapleton,  the  General  sends  his  com- 
pliments and  desires  that  you  Avill  call  at  Government 
House  and  see  his  Chief  of  the  Staff.  Will  you  come 
now  ?" 

Would  he  come  at  once?  Dick  smiled  at  the  very 
idea,  and  ran  below  with  all  the  eagerness  of  a  boy. 
Soon  he  appeared  again,  spruce  and  neat  in  his  white 
clothing,  and  stepped  into  the  launch. 

"Remember  me.  Dick,"  sang  out  the  young  officer, 
who  had  become  friendly  with  him.  "If  there  is  a  boat 
expedition  or  anything  going,  I  am  a  volunteer.  Ask 
to  choose  your  own  staff,  and  don't  forget  that  I  shall 
be  keen." 

Half  an  hour  later  the  surf-boat  had  landed  them, 
and  our  hero  felt  like  a  young  horse  which  has  been 


On  Special  Scr\  Ice  233 


conveyed  oversea,  and  has  not  set  foot  on  land  for 
many  a  day.  It  was  glorious  to  feel  the  sand  under 
his  shoes,  to  see  the  people  moving  about,  the  laughing 
kroomen,  the  native  carriers,  the  mulattoes  of  the 
coast,  the  white  men,  English  for  the  most  part,  with 
an  occasional  Dutchman,  all  husily  engaged  in  checking 
stores.  There  were  young  officers,  as  young  or  younger 
than  himself,  in  their  shirt  sleeves,  with  pith  helmets 
tilted  to  the  backs  of  their  heads,  perspiring  freely, 
while  they  saw  that  the  stores  were  correct.  And 
everywhere,  some  under  tarpaulins,  some  exposed  to 
the  air,  were  the  stores,  cases  of  biscuit,  of  rice,  of 
pork,  and  of  beef.  Huge  ovens  for  field  camps,  kettles 
of  the  standard  army  pattern,  known  throughout  the 
service  as  "dickies."  Bales  of  clothing  for  native 
levies,  cases  of  the  same  for  European  troops,  shells  of 
regulation  construction,  swords  which  were  sharp  on 
one  side  and  had  a  saw  edge  on  the  reverse,  star  shells 
meant  to  be  fired  high  into  the  air  and  light  up  the  sur- 
roundings, hand  grenades  and  rockets.  Dick  even 
noted  some  barrels  labelled  "beads,"  a  curious  thing  to 
find  in  such  a  place. 

"For  the  niggers  and  their  wives,"  said  the  staff 
officer,  with  a  laugh.  "That  is  the  way  in  which  we 
shall  pay  our  way  in  some  parts,  though  I  fancy  it  will 
hardly  take  us  to  Kumasi." 

There  was  a  grim  smile  on  his  face  as  he  said  the 
words,  and  he  looked  closely  at  Dick. 

"What  is  your  opinion?''  he  asked. 

"All  depends  on  the  force  we  have,  and  on  the 
methods  we  employ,  and  the  strategy)-  adopted  by  the 
enemy,"  answered  Dick.     "If  King  Koffee  leads  his 


2  34    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

troops  against  us  and  shows  up  in  the  open,  he  will  be 
smashed  to  pieces.  Our  rifles  would  beat  down  his 
gun  fire,  while  our  shells  and  gatlings  would  send  his 
men  running.     But  it  will  be  different." 

"You  have  seen  for  yourself?  You  have  been  up- 
country,  they  tell  me." 

"A  little.  The  forest  extends  for  something  like 
two  hundred  miles,  and  we  shall  have  no  choice  but  to 
fight  through  it.  Whether  we  go  by  river  or  road  to 
Prahsu,  there  we  shall  have  to  take  to  the  bush,  and  it 
will  be  difficult  work.  A  man  can  creep  close  to  one 
and  stab,  while  rifles  are  almost  useless.  Then  there's 
the  climate.  But  we  ought  to  get  to  Kumasi  if  we 
have  the  troops." 

"What  I  think  and  hope.  But  come  along.  Here's 
the  office." 

A  few  moments  later  Dick  was  ushered  into  the 
large,  airy  room  in  which  the  Staff  held  their  meet- 
ings, and  at  once  stood  at  attention,  his  hat  in  his 
hand.  By  now  he  had  become  used  to  official  matters 
and  people,  and  therefore  he  felt  no  nervousness  when 
he  discovered  that  there  were  four  officers  present,  all 
of  senior  rank,  while  two  at  least  were  high  up  in  the 
service.  Instantly  Dick's  eye  was  riveted  on  the  figtn-e 
of  one  of  these  officers,  moderately  tall  and  exceedingly 
soldierly  in  appearance. 

"Sir  Garnet,"  said  the  other,  motioning  to  him. 
"Mr.  Dick  Stapleton,  of  whom  you  have  heard." 

Dick  bowed  at  the  name  and  stood,  awaiting  the 
wishes  of  those  who  had  summoned  him. 

"You  are  w^ell  and  strong  again,  it  is  reported?" 
said  the  chief  of  the  staff.     "That  is  good  news,  for 


On  Special  Service  235 

tlie  General  desires  some  information.  Do  you  con- 
sider that  you  are  well  enough  to  undertake  another 
journey  into  the  bush  ?" 

"Quite."  was  Dick's  emphatic  answer.  "I  am  fit 
and  strong-  again  now,  and  longing  to  be  off." 

Sir  Garnet  smiled.  The  chief  of  the  staff  smiled, 
while  the  officers  present  exchanged  knowing  glances. 

"That  is  like  your  spirit."  went  on  the  officer,  "but 
I  wish  you  to  consider  this  question  before  you  reply, 
for  the  journey  upon  which  we  require  you  to  go  is  one 
from  which  some  do  not  return.  We  have  news,  more 
or  less  reliable,  of  the  movements  of  the  Ashanti 
armies,  news  which  is  sufficient  till  the  troops  arrive 
from  England.  But  in  the  meanwhile  we  want  to  have 
particulars  of  the  country  beyond  the  Pra,  from  there 
to  Kumasi,  and  if  possible  news  of  the  captives  and  of 
King  Koffee.  Troops  are  expected  at  the  end  of  the 
year,  in  two  months  perhaps.  So  you  have  that  time 
in  which  to  get  this  information.  But  you  know, 
doubtless,  the  condition  of  the  country.  There  are  at 
least  two  Ashanti  armies  lying  in  the  jungle,  and  per- 
haps there  are  others." 

He  ceased  speaking  and  looked  questioningly  at  the 
young  fellow  standing  hat  in  hand,  as  if  awaiting  an 
answer,  while  he  desired  atove  all  things  to  weigh  his 
character,  to  see  for  himself  whether  he  were  indeed 
the  lad  of  courage  which  the  Governor  had  represented 
him  to  be.  and  whether  he  were  a  fit  person  to  under- 
take an  expedition  of  such  danger. 

"There  will  be  no  mercy  from  the  Ashantis."  he 
added,  lifting  a  warning  finger.  "You  have  met  them 
and  you  should  know." 


236    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

"When  can  I  start?  The  sooner  the  better,"  said 
Dick,  quietly. 

''Then  you  will  go  ?" 

"Yes,  sir,  and  I  will  get  this  information  for  you 
if  it  is  possible.  Wdiat  men  may  I  have  ?  Td  like  the 
old  launch  which  I  had  before.  She  steams  well,  and 
has  a  stout  hull." 

"Choose  your  own  staff  and  your  own  methods  of 
proceeding,"  was  the  genial  answer.  "They  tell  me 
that  you  have  patrolled  the  river  before,  so  you  must 
know  what  is  wanted.  Come  and  report  here  just 
before  you  leave.  And,  er — ]\Ir.  Stapleton,  there  will 
be  a  handsome  reward  for  this  information." 

Dick  was  glad  that  he  had  heard  that  after  he  had 
accepted  the  task. 

"After  all,"  he  thought,  as  he  left  the  office,  "I 
would  rather  work  for  the  fun  of  the  thing  and  for 
the  good  of  old  England  than  for  money.  If,  how- 
ever, there  is  a  reward  and  I  win  it,  why,  all  the  better. 
It  will  be  like  winning  a  prize.  And  now  for  the  prep- 
arations.    I  shall  want  to  think  it  out." 

He  bade  farewell  to  the  staff  officer  who  had  brought 
him  from  the  ship  and  went  to  see  ]\Ir.  Pepson.  A 
week  later  he  set  off  on  his  hazardous  journey  to 
Kumasi,  to  the  headquarters  of  the  most  ferocious 
monarch  known  to  Englishmen,  to  the  spot  where 
everything  was  fetish,  where  thousands  of  slaves  were 
butchered  in  the  year,  and  where  the  sight  of  a  white 
man  was  sufficient  to  rouse  all  the  inhabitants  to  a  con- 
dition bordering  on  insanity. 

"Recollect,  my  dear  lad,"  said  Mr.  Pepson,  as  he 
bade  his  young  friend  good-bye,  "that  King  Koffee  is 


On  Special  Service  237 

a  wild  beast,  and  that  it  would  be  better  for  you  and 
your  men  to  die  fig-hting.  or  to  shoot  one  another, 
rather  than  fall  into  his  hands.  Good-bye,  and  good 
luck." 

He  turned  away  to  hide  a  tear,  this  strong  man  who 
so  seldom  showed  his  feelings.  But  he  was  deeply  at- 
tached to  Dick,  and  would  gladly  have  kept  him. 
However,  this  was  duty,  duty  to  his  country,  and  he 
was  forced  to  let  him  go.  Then  he  turned  and  watched 
as  the  surf-boat  took  our  hero  out  to  his  launch.  There 
was  the  scream  of  a  whistle,  the  waving  of  many  hands, 
and  Dick  was  off — perhaps  never  to  return  again. 


CHAPTER  XIV 
A  Brush  with  the  Enemy 

"We  will  look  into  Elmina  on  the  way  over  to  the 
Pra,"  said  Dick,  as  the  launch  steamed  along  the  coast, 
keeping  just  outside  the  rollers.  "I  have  news  of 
something,  and  want  to  inspect.  Later  we  can  go  up 
the  Pra  and  get  this  other  information." 

He  was  sitting  on  the  roof  of  the  tiny  cabin,  survey- 
ing the  coast  with  a  critical  eye,  while  every  now  and 
again  he  turned  his  gaze  to  his  crew  with  a  feeling 
of  satisfaction.  For  this  was  some  reward  for  the 
disappointment  occasioned  by  his  illness.  He  was 
again  on  the  move,  with  the  very  same  crew,  and  in 
addition  there  was  with  him  young  Emmett,  a  youth 
some  few  months  older  than  himself,  tall  and  straight, 
and  now  entirely  recovered  from  the  sickness  which 
had  prostrated  him  and  sent  him  to  the  hospital  ship 
Siuioon. 

Jack  Emmett  was  just  the  sort  of  fellow  to  take  our 
hero's  fancy,  for  he  was  a  genial,  high-spirited  lad, 
fond  of  a  joke,  and  still  keener  on  seeing  some  fun 
with  the  enemy.  So  far  he  had  done  nothing  more 
than  inspect  the  Gold  Coast  from  the  sea,  for  he  had 

238 


A  Brush  with  the  Encmv      239 

fallen  ill  on  the  voyage  out.  But  he  was  eager  to  meet 
the  enemy,  and  more  than  that.  Dick  found  that  he 
took  a  great  interest  in  the  coming  operations,  intel- 
ligently following  the  movements  and  preparations  on 
our  side.  More  than  all.  he  had  a  huge  admiration  for 
his  young  leader,  who  had  in  so  few  weeks  managed 
to  meet  with  so  much  adventure. 

"What  is  this  news?"  demanded  Jack,  for  up  till 
now  Dick  had  kept  his  counsel  to  himself.  "It  is  new 
to  hear  that  we  are  to  make  into  Elmina.  Are  there 
any  Ashantis  there?" 

"You  will  hear,"  was  the  answer.  "This  I  can  tell 
you,  that  Sir  Garnet  has  had  a  big  palaver  since  he 
reached  the  coast,  and  called  in  all  the  kings  of  the 
tribes  under  British  protection.  Some  came  in  all 
state,  with  umbrellas  and  tom-toms,  and  with  the  ac- 
companiment of  rattling  bones  and  war-drums.  Others 
stayed  away,  and  sent  defiant  answers.  Those  fellows 
live  in  the  neighl)ourhood  of  Elmina.  and  it  struck  me, 
when  I  heard  the  tale,  that  they  would  hardly  have 
dared  to  act  as  they  have  done  had  there  not  been  some 
sort  of  encouragement." 

"I  follow  the  argument.     Then  you  think ?" 

"That  the  Ashantis  are  somewhere  in  the  neighbour- 
hood. Yes."  responded  Dick.  "Let's  talk  to  John- 
nie." 

He  sang  out  for  the  native  stoker,  who  relinquished 
his  firing  shovel,  and  came  trotting  along  the  miniature 
deck,  still  clad  in  his  tattered  garments,  and  still  with 
the  clay  pipe  of  which  he  was  so  fond,  gripped  between 
his  teeth.  But  there  was  a  little  difference.  Johnnie 
had  added  dignity.     His  was  a  proud  mien,  and  when- 


240    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

ever  he  stopped  to  speak  to  a  white  man  or  even  a 
black  nowadays  he  always  turned  his  right  cheek  to 
the  stranger,  for  there  was  the  scar,  livid  and  red 
against  his  dusky  skin,  an  honourable  scar  which  told 
of  fighting,  of  a  battle  in  which  his  master  had  gained 
a  name,  and  he,  Johnnie  the  stoker,  a  proportion  of  the 
glory. 

"Massa  call,"  he  said,  raising  his  hand  to  his  bat- 
tered cap  after  the  custom  of  the  seamen.  "Johnnie 
here.     What  yo  want?" 

"Repeat  this  tale  of  Elmina,"  said  Dick,  quietly. 
"Tell  this  officer  what  you  told  me." 

Johnnie  greeted  the  youth  beside  his  master  in  simi- 
lar fashion,  with  an  elaborate  salute,  and  treated  him 
to  a  critical  survey. 

"Johnnie  know  little  ting  or  two,"  he  began,  with 
a  knowing  smile.  "He  'tend  dat  he  no  good,  like  same 
as  many  at  de  coast.  He  say,  'Hate  white  men,  and 
wish  Ashanti  here.'  Johnnie  know  dere  heaps  of  spies 
at  de  Castle,  and  he  listen  and  open  um  ear.  Soon 
fellow  come  and  ask  him  if  he  find  out  what  going  to 
happen.  Me  say  glad,  if  plenty  gold  dust.  Den  dis 
fellow  he  tell  Johnnie  dat  de  Ashanti  lie  in  de  bush 
along  close  to  de  coast,  ready  to  jump  on  de  white  man. 
Ask  me  to  letum  know  when  time  come  for  de  rush. 
Dat  all  I  know.  Johnnie  take  de  dust  and  perhaps  get 
more  later." 

He  looked  at  the  two  sprawling  on  the  roof  of  the 
cabin  with  a  cunning  smile,  in  which  they  joined.  For, 
after  all,  though  it  was  not  precisely  honest,  this  action 
of  the  stoker's,  yet  all  was  fair  in  love  and  war,  and 
if  one  of  the  agents  of  the  enemy  came  to  one  of  the 


A  Brush  with  tlic  Enemy      241 

servants  of  the  white  men  asking  for  information  and 
ofTering  money,  was  it  not  in  the  nature  of  such  a 
man  as  Johnnie  to  keep  his  information  to  himself,  giv- 
ing tit-bits  of  news  which  were  of  no  importance,  while 
he  abstracted  information  as  to  the  enemy's  position, 
and  a  reward  for  himself? 

"And  that  is  all,  Johnnie?"  demanded  Dick. 

"All  same  as  me  tell  yo.     Xoding  more." 

"Then  you  can  get  back  to  the  engine.  Xow,  Jack." 
went  on  Dick,  "supposing  it  were  true  that  the  Ashantis 
were  here,  within  a  few  miles  of  Elmina,  and  imagined 
themselves  hidden  from  the  English.  Wouldn't  it  be 
an  opportunity  to  take  them  by  surprise  and  start  the 
campaign  favourably  ?  There  are  not  many  troops  at 
the  Coast,  I  know,  but  there  are  marines  and  blue- 
jackets aboard,  and  they  should  be  sufficient." 

"And  they  could  be  concentrated  here  rapidly.  Yes ; 
it  would  be  a  golden  opportunity,  and  I  see  your 
meaning.     Then  you  will  put  in  at  Elmina?" 

"When  it  is  dark,"  said  Dick,  "Then  we  shall  not 
be  seen,  perhaps.  That  is  why  I  delayed  our  de- 
parture. We  are  far  enough  along  the  coast  now,  and 
I  propose  that  we  steam  out  a  little  and  lay  to.'' 

The  proposal  was  carried  out  at  once,  for  they 
judged  that  they  were  now  some  two  hours'  steaming 
from  Elmina.  and  the  day  was  still  young.  Therefore, 
it  was  as  well  to  keep  as  far  out  as  possible.  Accord- 
ingly, the  bows  of  the  launch  shot  out  over  the  oily  sea, 
which  was  heaving  continuously  as  it  does  along  this 
long  unbroken  African  coast,  and  very  soon  she  lay  to, 
a  couple  of  miles  or  more  from  the  beach. 

"We'll  have  the  lines  out  and  do  a  little  fishing," 


242    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

sang  out  Dick.  "Any  one  who  likes  may  sleep,  save 
the  man  on  guard.  Johnnie,  you'll  need  to  bank  the 
fires,  for  we  shall  want  steam  later." 

A  canvas  awning  had  been  rigged  over  the  deck  of 
the  launch,  for  the  heat  would  otherwise  have  been 
almost  unbearable.  And  beneath  this  the  two  young 
officers  and  their  crew  stretched  themselves  at  their 
ease,  while  each  dropped  a  line  overboard,  for  they  had 
been  careful  to  bring  these  in  case  their  provisions 
should  run  short. 

Some  four  hours  later,  just  as  the  day  began  to 
draw  in,  they  pulled  up  their  lines  and  headed  for 
Elmina.  It  was  dark  when  they  arrived  off  the  fort, 
and  they  steamed  into  the  river  at  once,  passing  beneath 
the  bridge  erected  by  the  Dutch.  Not  a  sound  was 
heard  aboard.  The  engines  were  working  dead  slow, 
w^hile  a  screen  of  sacks  surrounded  the  funnel,  hiding 
any  sparks  which  might  have  betrayed  the  presence  of 
the  launch.  In  the  bows  stood  two  of  the  bluejackets, 
with  long  poles  in  their  hands,  and  presently,  as  the 
launch  passed  beyond  the  town  into  the  river,  they 
stretched  these  ahead  as  far  as  possible,  letting  the 
tips  trail  in  the  water. 

"Take  her  along  dead  slow,"  whispered  Dick  in 
Johnnie's  ear.  "There  are  plenty  of  sand  and  mud 
banks,  and  we  don't  want  to  get  stranded.  Ah!  that 
must  be  one." 

Without  the  slightest  warning,  the  launch  came 
sweetly  to  a  stop,  burying  her  nose  in  a  bank  of  mud 
which  cropped  up  in  the  middle  of  the  river.  Even  the 
men  who  held  the  poles  had  not  been  able  to  detect  the 
obstruction  in  time,  for  their  rods  simply  pierced  the 


A  Brush  with  the  Llncmy      243 

soft  material.  And  now,  when  they  attempted  to  push 
the  launch  off,  the  same  thing  happened. 

"All  walk  aft."  saitl  Dick.  "Xow,  Johnnie,  reverse 
the  engines,  and  give  her  more  steam.  When  I  whistle 
let  every  man  give  a  jump  into  the  air." 

His  orders  were  given  in  the  lowest  tones,  and  were 
carried  out  without  confusion,  for  the  British  sailor 
hates  fuss  and  flurry,  and  can  be  relied  on  to  act  well 
and  discreetly  in  an  emergency.  All  gathered  aft,  and 
as  Dick  whistled  they  jumped  into  the  air,  shaking  the 
launch  as  they  came  to  the  deck  again.  But  still  she 
clung  to  her  cradle  of  mud. 

"Then  some  of  us  must  get  overboard.  What  is 
the  depth  ?"  asked  Dick. 

In  the  silence  he  could  hear  the  two  bluejackets 
grope  for  their  poles,  and  plunge  them  into  the  water. 
Then  one  of  them  came  to  his  side. 

"About  two  feet  of  water,  and  three  of  mud,"  he 
said.  "If  we  was  to  go  over  the  side,  we  couldn't 
swim,  and  the  mud  would  hold  us.  What  about  put- 
ting something  at  the  end  of  the  poles,  sir?  Some- 
thing that  wouldn't  sink  so  easily.  How'd  a  couple 
of  kegs  do?" 

Dick  thought  for  a  moment.  Then  he  went  to  the 
tiny  cabin,  and  unmasking  a  lamp,  peered  closely  at 
the  stores.  Thanks  to  the  generosity  of  those  in 
charge  of  the  commissariat,  a  liberal  supply  of  pro- 
visions of  a  mixed  character  had  been  handed  over  to 
the  expedition,  and  amongst  these  stores  were  some 
kegs  of  biscuits.     Our  hero  gave  vent  to  a  whistle. 

"Bring  the  two  poles  down  here,"  he  said,  as  a  head 
was  thrust  into  the  cabin.     "And  let  all  stand  round. 


244    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

so  as  to  hide  the  hght  should  it  show.  Now,  my  lad, 
rip  off  the  top  of  this  keg." 

One  of  the  sailors  had  his  cutlass  out  in  a  moment, 
and  soon  contrived  to  get  the  lids  off  two  of  the  kegs, 
and  the  contents  were  poured  into  an  empty  provision 
box. 

"Now,  how  are  we  to  make  them  fast?"  asked  Dick. 
"You  ought  to  know  better  than  I." 

He  looked  at  the  sailors  and  waited  their  reply,  while 
they  stared  at  the  kegs,  uncertain  how  to  act,  ifor  it  is 
no  easy  matter  to  attach  an  article  of  this  kind  to  the 
end  of  a  pole. 

"With  a  bit  of  rope  and  a  good  fire  I'd  do  it  in  half 
an  hour,"  said  one  of  the  men  at  length.  "Yer  see, 
by  rights,  sir,  we  ought  to  have  a  step  at  the  bottom  of 
the  keg,  and  lash  the  end  of  a  pole  down  on  to  it.  But 
yer  can't  do  that  'cause  a  step  needs  hammerin',  and 
that  'ud  warn  the  enemy  if  he's  hereabouts.  But 
we've  a  fire,  and  a  stoking  bar,  and  that  'ud  make  a  fine 
drill.  With  a  hole  through  the  centre  of  the  lid  and 
the  bottom,  we  could  push  the  pole  through,  and  take  a 
turn  of  the  rope  round  above  and  below  the  keg.  That 
would  keep  all  in  place  and  ship-shape." 

"Then  we'll  get  to  the  engine,"  said  Dick,  promptly. 
"Bring  the  kegs  and  poles  while  I  douse  the  light. 
Now,  you  men,"  he  went  on,  as  he  came  out  on  the 
deck,  "stand  round  the  engine  well  while  we  finish  the 
job.     Johnnie,  get  that  bar  heated." 

Some  twenty  minutes  later  the  four  holes  had  been 
drilled,  and  the  poles  pushed  through,  and  secured  with 
rope.  Then  the  two  sailors  took  their  station  on  the 
bows,  while  the  remainder  went  aft.     The  propeller 


A  Brush  with  the  Mneiny      245 

was  reversed  at  full  speed,  while  the  kegs  were  placed 
against  the  mud  bank,  and  the  men  holding  the  poles 
pushed  with  all  their  strength.  Dick  gave  a  low  whis- 
tle, the  men  jumped,  and  this  time  with  as  gentle  a 
motion  as  when  she  grounded,  the  launch  left  the  bank 
and  floated  in  the  open  water.  Two  hours  later  the 
boat  was  brought  to  a  rest  some  miles  up  the  river,  and 
was  pulled  beneath  an  overhanging  tree,  where  she  lay 
till  morning  dawned. 

"We  have  a  fine  place  from  which  to  keep  watch, 
and  we'll  see  whether  we  cannot  make  a  catch."  said 
Dick,  as  he  and  Jack  Emmett  sat  down  to  breakfast. 
"How  do  you  like  the  work.  Jack?" 

"It's  fine."  was  the  answer.  "This  is  what  I  have 
been  waiting  for.  And  the  best  part  of  it  all  is  that 
we  are  our  own  masters,  and  can  therefore  enjoy  all 
the  more  fun.  Supposing  an  army  came  along,  as 
happened  in  your  case?" 

"We  should  lie  hidden;  if  they  found  us  we  should 
fight.  No  more  running  away  for  me,  particularly 
when  I  have  a  crew  like  this.  Hullo!  what's  the  re- 
port?" 

One  of  the  sailors  had  ascended  the  branches  of  the 
tree,  from  which  post  he  could  keep  a  watch  on  the 
river,  and  at  this  moment  he  whistled.  Then  they  saw 
him  come  swarming  down  to  drop  from  a  height  of 
fully  fifteen  feet  on  to  the  deck  of  the  launch.  He 
alighted  as  easily  as  a  cat  and  came  aft  to  his  com- 
mander. 

"Beg  pardon,  sir."  he  said,  as  he  saluted,  "but 
there's  a  lx)at  full  of  niggers  a-coming  down-stream, 
and  thev're  armed." 


246    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

Dick  was  up  in  a  moment,  and  taking  care  to  move 
with  the  utmost  caution  he  pushed  the  leaves  aside  and 
looked  out.  The  report  was  accurate,  for  coming 
down-stream  was  a  large  native  boat,  with  some  ten 
men  aboard,  on  whose  shoulders  muskets  were  slung. 
A  glance  showed  him  that  some  at  least  were  Ashantis, 
while  the  others  he  was  not  sure  about. 

"They  must  be  captured,"  he  said  with  decision. 
"We  will  wait  till  they  are  quite  close,  and  will  rush 
out  at  them.  If  they  fire,  four  of  you  give  them  a 
volley.  That  will  be  sufficient,  for  we  want  to  make  a 
capture." 

It  was  an  exciting  moment  for  the  men  of  the  ex- 
pedition. Not  that  they  had  anything  to  fear  from 
the  men  aboard  the  native  boat.  But  they  were  now 
well  above  Elmina,  and  who  could  say  whether  the 
enemy  w^ere  not  all  round  them  ?  In  any  case  they 
must  be  near  at  hand,  so  that  the  attack  might  very 
well  be  followed  by  a  general  onslaught  on  the  part  of 
the  Ashantis. 

Dick  busied  himself  with  telling  off  the  men  to  their 
stations,  while  he  bade  Jack  Emmett  take  the  tiller  and 
steer  the  launch.  Presently  the  native  boat  drew 
opposite  their  hiding-place,  and  at  once  the  boughs 
were  parted  and  the  launch  shot  out  into  the  river. 
There  was  a  shout  from  the  enemy,  and  half  a  dozen 
dropped  their  paddles  and  opened  a  hot  fire,  their 
slugs  whistling  over  the  launch. 

"That  proves  that  they  are  enemies,"  said  Dick,  in 
tones  of  satisfaction.     "Give  them  a  volley,  my  lads." 

It  was  high  time  to  return  the  fire,  for  as  he  spoke 
another  burst  of  flame  had  come  from  the  boat,  and 


A  Brush  with  the  Enemy     247 

three  of  the  sailors  were  struck  by  the  skig-s.  Not  that 
that  made  much  difference,  for  the  hardy  fellows  did 
little  more  than  grunt.  There  was  a  quick  answering 
flash,  and  instantly  four  of  the  natives  threw  up  their 
arms  and  toppled  overboard. 

"Put  us  at  her  hard !"  shouted  Dick,  waving  to  Jack. 
"Now  swing  her  round  and  bring  us  alongside.  Keep 
under  cover  if  you  can.  my  lads,  and  give  them  a  vol- 
ley over  their  heads." 

The  whole  manoeuvre  scarcely  t(X)k  five  minutes.  In 
less  time  than  it  takes  to  tell,  the  launch  had  swung  out 
into  the  stream,  had  headed  for  the  enemy,  and  finally 
had  run  alongside,  a  second  volley  from  the  rifles  of 
the  seamen  ripping  the  air  over  the  heads  of  the  na- 
tives. And  that  was  sufficient.  Within  a  second  they 
had  thrown  down  their  amis  and  had  grovelled  on  the 
floor  of  the  boat. 

"Get  them  all  aboard  here  and  lash  their  arms  and 
legs,"  sang  out  Dick.  "That's  the  way.  Smartly  does 
it.  Now  dash  a  hole  in  their  boat  and  let  her  sink. 
Turn  the  launch's  head  to  the  sea.  Jack,  and  let  us  be 
going.     Ah,  there  come  the  bullets." 

There  could  be  no  doubt  that  there  were  more  ene- 
mies at  hand,  and  that  the  firing  had  attracted  their 
attention,  for  hardly  had  three  of  the  bluejackets 
tumbled  aboard  the  native  craft,  while  their  comrades 
held  the  two  ix)ats  together,  when  a  gim  bellowed  fn-im 
the  low-lying  forest  on  the  opposite  shore,  and  a  bullet 
crashed  into  the  stern  of  the  launch. 

"Jest  look  hvely.  me  lad,  will  yer?"  sang  out  one 
of  the  salts,  as  he  gripped  the  shoulder  of  one  of  the 
grovelling  enemy.     "That's  the  sort.     Yer  don't  want 


248    With  Wolseley  to  KumasI 

to  look  at  me  as  if  I  was  about  to  eat  yer,  but  jest  hop 
aboard  the  launch." 

He  used  the  utmost  politeness,  while  his  grip  closed 
about  the  native  like  a  vise,  and  with  such  force  that 
the  wretch  gave  vent  to  a  cry  of  terror.  Then  he  was 
lifted  bodily  aboard  the  launch,  where  in  spite  of  the 
slugs  and  bullets  which  were  now  falling  about  her, 
he  and  his  companions  were  carefully  and  scientifically 
secured,  Jack  Tar  not  deigning  to  hasten  because  the 
enemy  happened  to  be  near  at  hand.  Then  one  of  the 
salts  borrowed  the  stoking  shovel  from  Johnnie,  and 
in  less  than  a  minute  the  native  boat  had  disappeared 
beneath  the  water.  Meanwhile  the  bush  on  one  side 
of  the  river  echoed  to  the  shouts  of  the  enemy,  and  the 
fire  which  had  at  first  been  spasmodic,  now  became 
furious,  till  the  surface  of  the  river  was  lashed  with 
bullets  and  slugs. 

"Lie  down,  men,  and  return  their  fire,"  sang  out 
Dick.  "Jack,  sink  into  that  well,  and  steer  us  to  the 
far  side.  I  fancy  we  shall  be  out  of  range  there,  and 
I  have  seen  none  of  the  enemy.  We  will  make  for  the 
sea  now,  for  we  have  got  all  that  we  want ;  at  least,  we 
have  obtained  nearly  all.  The  rest  I  shall  hope  to  have 
soon.     That's  the  way,  my  lads,  pepper  them  well." 

He  took  a  rifle  and  lay  down  beside  the  men,  firing 
at  the  flashes  wliich  spurted  from  the  bush.  And 
thanks  to  their  superior  weapons,  and  the  skill  of  the 
sailors,  the  shots  of  the  enemy  gradually  subsided, 
bursting  out  here  and  there  afresh  as  they  were  silenced 
in  one  particular  spot.  Then  Dick  whistled  to  his  men 
to  cease  fire. 

"We  do  not  wish  to  kill  more  of  them,"  he  said, 


A  Brush  with  the  Enemy     249 

"and  they  cannot  hurt  us  now.  Let  each  of  you  stand 
beside  one  of  the  prisoners,  and  if  you  can  impress  him 
with  your  fierceness  without  really  harming  him,  all 
the  better." 

There  was  a  knowing  grin  on  the  faces  of  the  men 
as  they  went  to  carry  out  their  leader's  commands ;  for 
they  were  beginning  to  grasp  his  meaning.  And  Dick, 
had  he  not  been  so  serious,  could  have  roared  with 
laughter  at  the  grimaces  of  the  sailors,  for  they  car- 
ried out  his  wishes  to  the  letter  till  the  captives  writhed 
with  terror.  Meanwhile  the  launch,  ignoring  the  con- 
tinued fire  of  the  enemy,  kept  to  the  far  side  of  the 
river  and  steamed  down  to  Elmina.  Soon  she  passed 
beneath  the  bridge,  breasted  the  breakers,  and  was  at 
sea  again,  a  few  gashes  on  her  planks,  and  a  handker- 
chief or  two  about  the  arms  of  the  sailors  alone  show- 
ing that  she  had  been  in  action ;  those,  and  the  captives 
lying  upon  her  deck. 

"Xow,  Jack,  we  will  suppose  that  you  can  speak  and 
understand  the  Ashanti  tongue  as  well  as  I  can."  said 
Dick,  coolly,  as  he  came  aft  to  the  well  and  sat  down 
beside  his  friend.  "We  are  about  to  interrogate  the 
prisoners,  and  you  will  pass  sentence  upon  them.  At 
least,  I  shall  say  that  you  are  here  for  that  purpose, 
and  you  must  act  the  part  by  looking  ven,-  severe.  W'e 
will  have  them  up  one  by  one,  and  abstract  all  their 
information.  Two  of  the  bluejackets  can  stand  guard 
over  each  prisoner  as  he  is  brought,  while  the  others 
will  \ye  kept  out  of  hearing  in  the  bows.  Now,  recol- 
lect, to  get  information,  we  must  terrorize  these  men. 
I  don't  like  to  do  so,  but  natives  understand  no  other 
rpeans  of  persuasion.     If  you  offer  gold  they  will  lie 


250    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

and  cheat  you.  Now,  bring  up  the  first  of  the  pris- 
oners." 

It  was  an  informal  trial  which  was  held  at  the  stern 
of  the  launch  and  would  have  caused  the  laughter  of 
any  other  group  of  men.  But  Dick  and  his  command 
were  bent  on  obtaining  information,  and  if  they  could 
prove  the  proximity  of  the  Ashantis,  they  would  be 
doing  an  incalculable  benefit  to  the  commander  of  the 
British  forces,  for  thereby  he  might  be  enabled  to  make 
a  surprise  attack,  and  gain  a  victory,  a  matter  of  great 
importance  at  this  stage  of  the  proceedings.  And  so, 
escorted  by  two  of  the  bluejackets,  with  their  rifles 
loaded,  one  of  the  captives  was  brought  aft  and  halted 
just  in  front  of  our  hero.  He  was  a  sturdy  fellow,  and 
now  that  two  hours  had  passed  since  his  capture  his 
fears  were  beginning  to  subside.  He  looked  closely  at 
the  white  officers  whom  he  confronted,  noted  their 
youth  and  at  once  gained  further  confidence.  His 
head  went  up,  he  put  on  a  defiant  look  and  would  have 
squatted  there  on  the  deck  had  it  not  been  for  the 
sailors. 

"None  of  yer  larks,  me  son,"  said  one  of  them,  giv- 
ing the  man  a  hitch  which  shot  him  to  his  feet.  "Stand 
steady  where  you're  put,  or " 

There  was  a  menace  in  the  sailor's  looks,  and  the 
rifle  and  cutlass  with  which  he  was  armed  supported 
the  threat.  The  native  stood  upright,  looking  perhaps 
a  little  disconcerted. 

"Tell  me  how  long  you  have  been  near  Elmina,  and 
how  many  of  your  comrades  are  there?"  asked  Dick,  in 
the  x\shanti  tongue. 

Astonishment  was  written  on  the  man's  face,  and 


A  Brush  with  the  Enemy      251 

Dick  noticed  an  expression  of  dismay.  But  it  disap- 
peared at  once  and  the  answer  came  glibly. 

"I  have  Ijeen  there  a  week.  My  comrades,  all  that 
remain,  lie  here  on  this  deck.  We  were  bringing  our 
goods  to  Elmina." 

"That  is  a  lie,"  said  Dick  quietly,  watching  the  man 
closely  as  he  spoke.  "You  are  an  Ashanti.  That  I 
know  for  certain.  Your  comrades  fired  at  us  from  the 
shore,  and  you  were  not  carrying  goods.  Guns  and 
swords  formed  your  only  cargo.  Now.  listen.  You 
have  news  to  give,  and  I  require  it.  If  you  give  it, 
you  will  be  unharmed:  if  you  lie.  you  will  be  killed. 
I  will  count  my  fingers  over  four  times,  and  if  at  the 
end  you  have  not  spoken  the  truth  you  will  be  shot. 
That  is  the  decision  of  my  friend  who  sits  beside  me." 

At  once  he  began  to  count,  while  the  native  watched 
him,  at  first  with  looks  of  incredulity,  and  then  with  an 
expression  of  concern.  ]\Ieanwhile  there  was  tense 
silence  amongst  the  group,  save  for  the  muttered  words 
coming  from  Dick.  Tie  was  nearing  the  end  of  his 
count,  and  as  if  to  emphasize  the  fact,  and  at  a  nod 
from  our  hero,  one  of  the  sailors  pulled  back  the  lock 
of  his  rifie  with  a  click.  It  was  an  ugly  and  an  omi- 
nous sound,  and  in  an  instant  it  had  the  desired  effect. 

"I  will  speak,  white  chief,"  said  the  prisoner,  hastily. 
"It  is  true  that  my  comrades  are  up  the  river.  How 
many  I  do  not  know,  but  there  is  an  army.  We  have 
l:)een  there  for  weeks,  and  are  starving.  There  is 
nothing  more  to  tell." 

Dick  nodded  curtly.  "Take  him  into  the  cabin  and 
see  that  he  does  not  communicate  with  the  others,"  he 
said.     "Now,  let  us  have  another  prisoner." 


252    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

One  by  one  the  Ashanti  prisoners  were  brought  to 
the  stern  of  the  launch  and  interrogated,  and  the  story 
told  by  all  was  precisely  the  same.  The  Ashantis  were 
in  force  in  the  jungle  lying  within  a  few  miles  of  El- 
mina  and  between  that  part  and  the  river  Pra.  They 
had  fraternized  with  the  Elminas  and  other  natives, 
nominally  under  our  protection,  and  for  the  most  part 
they  were  almost  starving.  They  were  awaiting  the 
moment  when  they  might  attack  the  white  men.  There 
could  be  no  doubt  about  the  truth  of  their  tale,  for  they 
had  each  said  the  same,  and  had  had  no  time  to  concoct 
a  story. 

"We  shall  be  welcome  home  again,"  said  Dick,  with 
a  smile,  as  he  rose  from  the  well.  "It  is  true  that  we 
have  not  yet  gained  information  of  the  country  beyond 
the  Prahsu,  but  then  there  is  plenty  o£  time,  for  the 
troops  whO'  are  to  come  out  will  not  be  here  for  some 
six  weeks,  and  there  are  insufficient  here  now  to  make 
the  march  to  Kumasi.  But  there  may  be  enough  men 
for  this  expedition  to  Elmina.  That  will,  of  course, 
rest  with  Sir  Garnet,  but  they  say  he  is  a  dashing 
leader,  and  I  fancy  he  will  strike  a  blow.  Full  steam, 
Johnnie.     The  sooner  we  are  back  the  better." 

Five  hours  later  our  hero  stood  hat  in  hand  in  the 
office  at  Government  House,  facing  the  chief  of  Sir 
Garnet's  staff. 

"This  is  very  important  news  which  you  bring,"  said 
the  officer,  seriously.  "Have  you  told  any  one  what 
you  have  learned?" 

He  looked  anxiously  at  Dick  and  waited  for  his 
reply,  giving  expression  to  an  exclamation  of  relief 
when  he  heard  the  answer. 


A  Brush  with  the  Enemy     253 

"Then  you  and  Mr.  Emniett  are  the  only  two  who 
know.  Your  native  stoker  has  suspicions,  but  you  say 
that  he  is  trustworthy.  1  fancy  we  may  be  able  to 
hoodwink  these  natives." 

An  hour  later,  when  Dick  retired  to  Mr.  Pepson's 
house,  the  details  of  an  expedition  had  been  roughly 
drafted,  and  on  the  following  morning  orders  were 
published.  But  those  in  authority  knew  that  they  had 
cmining  foes  to  deal  with,  and  that  spies  al)ounded 
even  in  Cape  Coast  Castle.  And  so  when  those  who 
■were  to  take  part  in  the  attack  embarked,  it  was  with 
the  belief  that  they  were  to  sail  to  a  different  part  of 
the  country  altogether,  and  that  Elmina  and  its  neigh- 
bourhood was  not  even  under  consideration.  It  was 
with  a  light  heart  that  Dick  steamed  back  to  Elmina, 
and  took  his  station  near  the  fort,  prepared  to  operate 
with  the  expedition  andattack  the  enemy. 

"You  will  listen  for  our  bugle  calls,  and  direct  your 
fire  accordingly,"  the  Chief  of  the  Staff  had  warned 
him.  "Otherwise  we  may  be  firing  into  one  another. 
Keep  the  men  well  in  hand,  for  the  bush  will  be  dense. 
But  there,  I  am  forgetting  that  you  have  had  experi- 
ence already.  Hold  our  right  flank  and  punish  them 
severely." 

Early  on  the  following  morning,  when  the  marines 
and  bluejackets  had  disembarked  at  Elmina,  and  the 
native  troops  had  joined  them  on  the  beach,  Dick  and 
his  men  steamed  up  the  river,  and  having  gained  a 
point  some  miles  higher  up,  stood  in  to  the  bank  and 
landed,  leaving  two  men  in  charge  of  the  launch. 

"Lie  off  at  anchor,  and  keep  a  sharp  watch."  he 
commanded.     "Now,  my  lads,  we  will  hunt  in  couples. 


2  54    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

and  remember  to  use  your  whistles,  for  it  is  easy  to 
get  lost  here.  Follow  me  and  be  sure  you  go  warily." 
They  turned  their  backs  on  the  water,  and  plunged 
into  the  bush,  their  eyes  endeavouring  to  pierce  the 
dense  undergrowth,  while  their  ears  were  forever  alert 
to  detect  the  proximity  of  the  enemy. 


CHAPTER  XV 
Bluejackets,    Charge! 

"Halt!"  Dick  Stapleton  lifted  his  hand  above  his 
head,  and  crouched  low  in  the  jungle,  while  the  sailors 
who  followed  him  in  single  file,  slashing  a  path 
through  the  dense  undergrowth,  copied  his  example. 
"H-h-hush !     Did  you  hear  ?     There  it  is  again !" 

Dick  whispered  in  Jack  Emmett's  ear,  and  Jack,  to 
whom  bush  work  was  a  novelty,  stared  back  at  his 
friend  in  amazement.  For  he  had  seen  nothing,  and 
there  had  been  no  sound  to  arouse  his  suspicion.  In- 
deed, all  about  the  little  party  looked  quiet  and  peace- 
ful. Overhead  towered  enormous  cotton  trees,  run- 
ning to  the  height  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  while 
beneath  their  overspreading  branches  were  yams  and 
plantain  trees,  huge  ferns  and  every  variety  of  forest 
growth,  many  of  these  latter  being  giants  in  themselves, 
but  dw^arfed  by  the  ponderous  girth  and  height  of  the 
cotton  trees.  At  the  feet  of  these  wonders  of  the 
African  forest  clustered  vines  and  trailing  creepers. 
Orchids  and  lovely  lichens  clung  to  the  boughs,  while 
huge  masses  of  bufT,  violet,  pink  and  brilliant  yellow 

255 


256    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

convolvuli  hnng  suspended  in  festoons,  brightening  the 
gloom  which  pervaded  this  underworld  of  the  jungle. 
Not  a  native  could  be  seen.  Indeed,  the  bush  was  so 
dense  that  Dick  and  his  party  could  not  see  beyond  a 
few  feet,  and  every  yard  they  advanced  had  to  be  won 
by  diligent  cutting  with  sword  or  cutlass.  Vet  our  hero 
was  suspicious. 

"There,  listen!"  he  said  again,  in  a  low  whisper. 
"Listen  to  the  birds." 

"I  hear  them.  But  what  of  that?  There  are  heaps 
in  these  woods,  no  doubt,"  was  Jack's  reply.  "That 
does  not  say  that  the  enemy  are  near.  Wait,  though. 
That  was  a  cheer.  Our  men  must  be  somewhere  in 
the  neighbourhood." 

At  that  moment  a  distant  cheer  had  come  to  their 
ears  through  the  barrier  of  boughs,  and  at  the  sound 
both  sat  up  suddenly  and  listened.  Then  Dick  began 
to  crawl  forward  again. 

"We  can  go  on,"  he  said  quietly.  "The  calls  of  the 
birds  were  not  real,  of  that  I  feel  sure.  They  were 
made  by  the  enemy,  purposely  to  let  each  man  know 
that  he  was  near  his  fellows.  It's  a  good  idea.  Halt 
again!" 

This  time  he  beckoned  the  bluejackets  to  come  close 
up  to  him,  and  for  a  little  while  they  were  clustered 
together  at  the  foot  of  a  cotton  tree. 

"We  are  getting  near  the  enemy,"  said  Dick,  "and 
if  we  are  rushed  it  will  be  very  easy  to  get  separated. 
We  will  keep  in  couples,  and  no  man  is  to  be  more 
than  three  or  four  feet  from  his  comrade.  Once  we 
are  in  touch  with  the  enemy  we  will  whistle,  so  as  to 
tell  each  other  where  we  are.     Then  there  will  be  no 


Bluejackets,  Charge!  257 

getting  lost,  and  we  shall  not  run  the  danger  of  firing 
at  one  another.  Remember,  before  pulling  a  trigger, 
give  a  whistle  and  wait  a  moment." 

Once  more  he  turned  his  face  to  the  interior  of  the 
jungle  and  crept  on,  and  presently  the  call  of  birds  was 
again  heard.  Then  he  redoubled  his  caution,  cutting 
creepers  from  his  path  as  silently  as  possible,  and  re- 
moving all  broken  twigs  from  the  ground.  Half  an 
hour  later  he  and  his  men  came  to  a  sudden  halt,  for 
the  darkness  which  had  surrounded  them  up  to  this 
suddenly  lightened,  while  as  if  to  increase  their  diffi- 
culties there  came  the  sound  of  more  cheers,  the 
answering  yell  of  hundreds  of  natives,  and  then  a  suc- 
cession of  sharp  explosions  which  shook  the  leaves. 
A  minute  later  a  volley  of  slugs  screeched  overhead, 
stripping  the  boughs,  and  covering  the  little  party  with 
the  debris. 

"Forward!"  shouted  Dick,  "and  let  the  men  come 
up  on  either  side  of  me.  We  will  get  to  this  clearing 
and  turn  the  enemy  out." 

There  was  no  time  to  be  lost,  for  it  was  now  evident 
that  the  approach  of  his  party  had  been  heard  by  the 
enemy,  while  the  sudden  lifting  of  the  gloom  showed 
that  there  was  a  clear  space  in  the  forest  some  little 
way  ahead,  and  from  this  no  doubt  the  enemy  were 
firing.  Dick  lost  no  time  therefore  in  pushing  for- 
ward. Bent  double  he  ran  between  the  creepers,  jump- 
ing over  fallen  Iwughs,  and  slashing  at  every  obstruc- 
tion which  threatened  to  arrest  his  progress.  Very 
soon  he  came  to  the  edge  of  the  forest.  Meanwhile 
the  sailors  were  not  behindhand.  They  gave  vent  to 
a  cheer,  just  to  show  their  spirit,  and  then,  spreading 


258    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

by  couples  to  either  side,  they  scrambled  forward, 
wriggling  their  way  through  the  bush. 

"Lie  flat!"  shouted  Dick,  as  they  got  into  position, 
and  a  second  volley  of  slugs  flew  overhead.  "Now, 
you  can  see  where  they  are.  Pick  them  off,  my  lads. 
Fire  about  a  foot  below  the  flashes  and  about  the  same 
or  a  little  less  to  the  right.     That  should  get  them." 

At  his  order  the  men  threw  themselves  on  their 
faces,  and  wriggling  forward  a  few  inches  till  they 
could  obtain  a  clear  glimpse  of  the  open  space  ahead, 
opened  a  heavy  and  well-directed  fire  at  the  flashes  and 
puffs  of  smoke  which  burst  from  a  hundred  points  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  clearing.  There  the  jungle 
again  commenced,  though  it  was  not  so  dense,  and 
many  paths  could  be  seen  cutting  their  way  through  it. 
Beyond,  some  distance  away,  the  glare  of  a  big  fire 
could  be  detected,  while  the  smoke  hung  over  the  sum- 
mit of  the  forest  trees. 

"Our  men  at  work,"  Dick  shouted  to  his  companion, 
"and  these  fellows  who  are  firing  at  us  are  between  us 
and  our  friends.  We  must  try  to  drive  them  away 
and  effect  a  junction." 

But  if  that  was  his  object,  it  was  not  so  easy  to  ac- 
complish, for  the  enemy  were  in  full  force  on  the  far 
side  of  the  narrow  clearing,  and  had  he  and  his  party 
but  known  it,  the  path  taken  by  the  British  troops  led 
rather  far  to  the  left  of  the  river,  while  so  deceptive 
was  the  forest  that  the  glare  and  the  smoke  were 
actually  much  more  distant  than  they  appeared.  Sir 
Garnet  had  with  him  a  few  bluejackets,  with  a  seven- 
pounder  gun  and  a  rocket  trough,  twenty  Royal  Marine 
Artillery,  129  Royal  Marines,  205  of  the  West  India 


Bluejackets,  Charge!  259 

Regiment.  126  Houssas,  a  force  enlisted  in  Central 
Africa,  a  few  natives  and  many  bearers  enlisted  on  the 
coast.  It  was  this  force  which  Dick  and  his  comrades 
heard.  They  had  come  upon  the  village  of  Essaman, 
and  finding  it  vacant  had  set  it  on  fire,  exploding  some 
kegs  of  powder  which  the  enemy  had  left,  and  finding 
a  number  of  muskets  and  war-drums,  all  evidence  of 
the  truth  of  the  report  which  had  been  brought  by  our 
hero  to  headquarters.  Indeed,  there  was  little  doubt 
that  the  enemy  were  in  force  in  the  neighlx)urhood, 
though  so  far  none  on  our  side  had  seen  a  single  man. 
All  that  Dick  could  perceive  was  the  flash  of  gims,  and 
the  falling  of  numerous  leaves  and  twigs  cut  down  by 
the  slugs  which  hailed  overhead.  Suddenly  another 
sound  attracted  his  attention,  and  his  expression 
changed  to  one  of  concern. 

"Our  fellows  are  going  still  farther  away,  and  the 
enemy  are  closing  in  on  us,"  he  said  hastily.  "There 
is  a  man,  and,  look,  others  are  appearing.  They  are 
going  to  try  a  rush.  We  will  warn  the  men.  Listen, 
my  lads,"  he  shouted,  "the  Ashantis  look  as  if  they 
would  try  a  charge,  and  we  must  stop  it.  If  they  reach 
this  side  of  the  clearing  they  will  creep  into  the  jungle 
and  shoot  us  down  easily.  Keep  on  firing  till  I  shout, 
then  charge  them  as  they  come." 

Kneeling  behind  a  tree  he  kept  a  keen  watch  upon 
the  opp<')site  side,  and  now  that  the  enemy  were  expos- 
ing themselves,  his  bullets  seldom  failed  to  tell.  As 
for  the  Jack  Tars,  they  seemed  to  enjoy  the  work,  for 
they  lay  on  their  faces,  calmly  ignoring  the  hail  of 
slugs  overhead,  and  returned  the  fire  of  the  enemy  with 
wonderful  steadiness.  At  Dick's  words,  too,  each  eased 


2  6o    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

his  cutlass  in  its  sheath,  and  just  glanced  ahead  to 
make  sure  that  there  was  nothing  to  keep  him  from 
reaching  the  open.  Nor  was  it  long  before  the  neces- 
sity for  action  on  their  part  was  called  for.  The  firing 
from  the  opposite  side  became  even  fiercer,  and  by 
now  Dick  and  the  majority  of  his  men  had  been  hit; 
though,  thanks  to  the  wide  interval  existing  between 
the  combatants,  few  of  the  missiles  penetrated.  Then 
there  came  the  beat  of  a  war-drum,  a  dull,  reverber- 
ating sound  which  seemed  to  echo  through  the  forest, 
while  Dick  caught  fleeting  glimpses  of  a  group  of  the 
enemy,  passing  amidst  the  trees,  and  exhorting  their 
comrades. 

"Get  ready,  my  lads,"  he  sang  out,  "and  don't  for- 
get, give  them  a  couple  of  volleys  and  more  as  they 
run.  When  I  shout,  form  up  outside  and  charge. 
Jack,  just  watch  those  beggars  and  when  they  cross 
one  of  the  paths  let  us  fire  together." 

They  lay  behind  two  plantain  trees  which  happened 
to  be  close  together,  and  followed  the  movements  of 
the  group  of  Ashanti  ofiicers  whom  they  had  seen  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  clearing.  Within  a  few  seconds 
they  saw  them  emerge  into  one  of  the  numerous  roads 
cut  through  the  forest.  Both  fired  together,  and  gave 
a  shout  as  they  saw  one  of  the  enemy,  a  big  man, 
gaudily  dressed  and  feathered,  fall  to  the  ground.  A 
moment  later  they  were  throwing  cartridges  into  their 
rifies  as  rapidly  as  was  possible,  and  were  emptying 
their  weapons  at  a  speed  which  showed  what  need  there 
was  for  action.  For  hardly  had  the  tall  leader  on  the 
far  side  given  a  shriek  and  fallen,  when  the  deep  boom 
of  the  war-drum  became  deafening,  as  jf  the  man  who 


Bluejackets,  charge!  261 

wielded  the  stick  were  beatiiii^  out  his  indigniatiun  and 
hatred.  Shouts  of  fury  filled  the  air.  and  as  if  the 
drum  were  the  signal,  some  two  hundred  of  the  dusky 
enemy  started  from  the  trees  and  commenced  to  rush 
across  the  clearing.  \'ery  fierce  and  forbidding  they 
looked  as  they  came,  for  they  had  discarded  their  mus- 
kets, or  had  slung  them  behind  their  shoulders,  and  now 
they  were  armed  with  Ashanti  swords,  or  with  for- 
midable-looking knives. 

"Steady,  men!"  shouted  Dick,  at  once.  "We  have 
plenty  of  time  to  knock  a  few  over.  Fire  as  fast  as 
you  can  and  wait  for  the  signal." 

The  forest  resounded  to  the  crack  of  the  rifles,  and 
to  the  shouts  of  the  natives.  Not  a  sound  came  from 
the  bluejackets  save  that  given  out  from  their  weapons. 
They  maintained  a  grim  silence,  and  stretched  there  on 
their  faces,  kept  up  a  withering  fire,  directing  their 
shots  with  marvellous  coolness.  But  there  was  a  stern, 
ugly  glint  in  their  eyes,  and  the  hands  that  wielded  the 
rifles  gripped  very  tightly.  Then  Dick  gave  a  shout, 
and  in  a  moment  all  were  on  their  feet. 

"Drop  your  rifles,"  he  commanded.  "Now  line  up. 
My  men,  we  are  not  to  be  frightened  by  a  lot  of  bellow- 
ing natives." 

"Afraid.  Not  us!"  came  the  reply  from  one  of  the 
salts.  "Jest  fancy  hooking  it  because  of  these  fellers. 
We'll  get  aboard  and  sink  'em,  Iwys." 

There  was  a  roar  as  the  men  heard  the  words,  while 
the  swish  of  cutlasses  l^eing  drawn  from  their  scal>- 
bards  could  be  heard.  Then  Dick  gave  another  shout, 
and  placing  himself  beside  Jack  Emmett  at  the  head 
of  the  little  party  he  started  forward,  his  teeth  clenched, 


262    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

and  his  mind  made  up  to  beat  back  this  attack  and  con- 
quer. 

"Charge!"  he  bellowed.  ''Charge  into  the  middle 
of  them." 

There  was  now  no  longer  need  for  silence,  and  the 
cheer  which  the  men  gave  showed  that  their  spirit  was 
not  lacking.  Closely  following  their  young  leaders 
they  raced  forward  in  a  compact  body,  heading  for  the 
very  centre  of  the  enemy.  And  it  was  clear  at  once 
that  their  sudden  appearance  and  their  warlike  inten- 
tions gave  food  for  thought  to  the  enemy.  The  mad 
rush  of  the  Ashantis  came  to  a  sudden  end,  the  mass 
halting  to  stare  at  these  few  enemies.  A  few  turned 
tail  immediately  and  fled,  while  some  of  the  natives 
hung  in  the  background,  uncertain  how  to  act.  Then 
one  of  their  number  gave  a  shout  and  they  came  on 
again,  but  this  time  with  less  determination.  A  few 
seconds  later  the  combatants  met,  the  sailors  throwing 
themselves  upon  the  Ashantis  with  deafening  cheers, 
cutting  and  slashing  at  them  fiercely,  while  one  of 
them,  happening  to  miss  his  aim,  and  to  strike  the 
ground  wnth  his  w^eapon,  whereby  it  was  jerked  from 
his  hand,  took  to  his  fists  in  true  nautical  style,  and 
struck  right  and  left  amongst  the  enemy.  Still,  it  was 
a  critical  moment  for  Dick  and  his  party,  and  only 
their  dash  and  bravery  saved  them.  The  contest  hung 
in  the  balance  for  a  minute  or  more,  while  the  natives 
stabbed  desperately  at  the  sailors,  some  of  them 
doubling  up  and  attempting  to  dash  in  below  the  cut- 
lass. But  the  result  was  always  the  same.  There  was 
a  thud,  and  the  weapon  fell  with  unerring  aim,  stretch- 
ing the  man  on  the  ground.     Or  if  that  was  not  the 


Bluejackets,  Charge!  263 

case,  Jack's  knee  woukl  rise  of  a  sudden,  and  the  na- 
tive would  receive  a  blow  on  the  head  which  stunned 
him  instantly.  Amidst  all  the  clamour  came  the 
sharp  crack  of  the  revolvers  held  by  the  two  young 
leaders. 

"Forward !"  shouted  Dick.  ''Give  a  cheer,  and  drive 
them  back." 

Grandly  did  the  men  support  him.  Though  they 
had  been  fighting  their  hardest  before,  striving  to  ar- 
rest the  nisli  of  the  enemy,  now  they  charged  into  their 
broken  ranks,  belabouring  them  with  their  cutlasses, 
striking  out  with  their  fists,  and  making  up  for  their 
smallness  in  numbers  by  sheer  bravery  and  dash.  And 
in  a  minute  they  had  gained  their  object.  Many  of 
the  enemy  had  already  fallen,  and  now,  of  a  sudden, 
the  remainder  turned  tail  and  fled,  leaving  the  British 
masters  of  the  situation. 

"Back  for  the  rifles,  some  of  you,"  cried  Dick.  "The 
remainder  run  forward  and  occupy  the  enemy's  posi- 
tion. Quick,  or  they  will  bowl  us  over  with  their 
slugs." 

The  warning  came  only  just  in  time,  for  those  of 
the  enemy  who  had  fled  at  the  first  sight  of  the  sailors 
had  taken  cover  on  the  fringe  of  the  forest,  in  the  posi- 
tion which  they  had  occupied  a  few  minutes  before; 
and  no  sooner  had  their  comrades  turned  and  com- 
menced to  retreat  than  these  men  opened  a  scattered 
fire,  regardless  of  the  risk  they  ran  of  hitting  their 
friends.  But  Dick  and  his  men  never  paused.  While 
four  of  them  ran  back  to  gather  the  rifles,  the  remain- 
der followed  close  on  the  heels  of  the  enemy,  and  hardly 
had  the  firing  opened,  and  the  war-drum  commenced 


264    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

its  boom  again,  when  they  were  at  the  edge  of  the 
forest  and  close  upon  the  Ashantis  wlio  kirked  there. 
For  some  two  minutes  there  was  another  hand-to-hand 
contest,  for  these  men  were  caught  in  their  lairs,  and, 
hindered  from  gaining  one  of  the  numerous  paths  by 
the  denseness  of  the  forest,  were  forced  to  turn  and 
fight.  However,  the  sailors  made  short  work  of  them, 
and  very  soon  were  lying  amidst  the  trees  again, 
breathing  heavily  after  their  exertions. 

Meanwhile  the  troops  in  other  quarters  had  been 
engaged  with  the  enemy,  and  had  driA-en  them  before 
them.  No  sooner  had  Essaman  been  given  to  the 
flames  than  the  whole  line  advanced  over  more  or  less 
open  country.  On  our  left  was  a  grassy  plateau,  with 
a  thick  forest  about  three  hundred  yards  away,  while 
directly  in  front  the  ground  fell  and  was  covered  with 
bush  growing  breast  high.  Towards  this  the  Houssas 
and  West  Indian  regiment  advanced,  the  men  shouting 
and  filling  the  air  with  discordant  yells,  while  they 
blazed  away  at  the  bush,  at  the  sky,  anywhere  in  fact, 
and  without  any  definite  object.  They  were  entirely 
out  of  hand,  as  some  native  troops  are  apt  to  get,  and 
at  this  moment  they  were  as  dangerous  to  their  own 
side  as  to  the  enemy.  However,  by  dint  of  much 
energy  and  shouting  the  officers  managed  to  get  them 
in  hand  again  and  enforce  some  fire  discipline.  Then, 
as  they  advanced  through  the  bush,  the  bluejackets 
and  the  Marine  Artillery  took  the  wood  on  the  left 
in  hand,  and  the  steel  gun  opened  upon  the  lurking 
enemy.  The  rockets  were  also  brought  to  bear  upon 
them,  and  very  soon  the  place  was  clear,  a  few  wounded 
Ashantis  being  discovered  as  we  advanced.     But  still 


Bluejackets,  Charge!  265 

our  men  were  far  from  Dick  and  his  little  force,  and 
he  had  yet  mucii  difticulty  to  contend  with. 

"l-'irst,  let  us  see  to  the  wounded,"  he  said,  as  they 
lay  breathing  heavily  in  the  forest.  "Then  we  will 
follow  hard  upon  the  tracks  of  the  enemy,  in  the  hope 
of  joining  our  ccuurades.     Now,  who  is  badly  hit?" 

There  was  no  response  from  the  tars,  though  he 
looked  at  each  one  in  turn. 

"Then  who  is  hit  at  all?"  he  asked. 

"One  here,  sir,"  was  the  reply  from  one  of  the  lusty 
fellows.  "One  of  those  rascals  struck  me  in  the  leg 
with  his  knife.  He's  back  there,  sir,  for  it  hurt  and  1 
give  "im  what  for  right  away.  It's  a  bit  of  a  scratch 
and  the  surgeon  will  fix  it  up  when  we  get  back. 
Plenty  of  time,  sir." 

"And  I've  a  slug  somewheres  about  me  shoulder," 
sang  out  another ;  three  more  acknowledging  the  same 
sort  of  wound,  and  all  making  light  of  it. 

"Then  we  are  lucky,  my  lads,"  said  Dick,  gaily.  "A 
slug  is  nothing.  I  have  one  somewhere  about  my  ribs, 
and  it  gave  me  quite  a  nasty  knock.  But  I  am  sure  it 
has  not  penetrated.  Then  no  one  needs  to  l^e  carried, 
and  none  are  bleeding  to  death.  Good!  We  will  ad- 
vance. Now,  we  will  go  by  one  of  these  paths,  and 
we  will  keep  a  careful  watch  in  front  and  rear  as  well 
as  to  either  side.  Jack,  take  the  advance,  please.  I 
will  go  to  the  right,  for  I  am  more  used  to  the  forests. 
Keep  a  bright  look-out,  as  these  fellows  are  fond  of  an 
ambush." 

Once  more  they  sprang  to  their  feet  and  went  into 
the  forest,  but  on  this  occasion  they  were  able  to  follow 
a  native  path.     Still,  their  progress  was  slow,  ior  the 


2  66    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

men  who  scrambled  through  the  underwood,  seeking 
for  the  enemy,  could,  naturally,  not  get  along  as  rapidly 
as  those  in  the  open.  At  length,  however,  the  party 
emerged  from  the  forest,  and  came  upon  the  breast- 
high  bush  which  the  Houssas  and  West  Indians  were 
attacking,  and  from  the  sounds  proceeding  from  it 
made  sure  that  the  enemy  were  then  rapidly  retreating. 

"Then  we  will  help  them,"  said  Dick.  "Can  you 
men  run  a  little  farther?" 

There  was  an  emphatic  nod  from  all  as  he  asked 
the  question. 

"Then  we  will  make  for  the  edge  higher  up  and  see 
what  we  can  do.     Double !" 

A  few  minutes  later  the  firing  taking  place  on  their 
left  warned  them  that  they  were  now  level  with  the 
lurking  enemy,  and  at  once  they  came  to  a  halt. 

"Take  post  in  the  trees  on  this  side,"  came  the  order. 
"Then  you  will  be  able  to  see  down  into  the  bush  and 
clear  it.  Smartly,  lads,  for  there  will  be  people  watch- 
ing us." 

He  could  not  have  set  the  sailors  a  more  enjoyable 
task.  They  slung  their  rifles,  and  at  once  set  to  work 
to  swarm  into  the  trees  which  grew  so  plentifully  close 
at  hand.     Then  one  gave  a  lusty  shout. 

"There  they  are,  sir,"  he  cried,  "and  I  can  see  our 
own  troops." 

"Then  take  care  that  they  don't  see  you,  or  you  may 
be  shot  by  mistake.     Now,  make  every  bullet  tell." 

Perched  in  their  trees  the  party  could  look  down 
upon  the  bush,  for  it  happened  that  they  had  halted  at 
a  spot  which  was  elevated  well  above  the  surrounding 
country.     To  this  the  height  to  which  they  had  climbed 


Bluejackets,  Charge!  267 

gave  them  acklcd  advaiUage,  so  much  so  tliat  they 
could  cUstingiiish  the  figures  of  the  enemy  crawhng 
anil  running  amidst  the  creepers  and  bracken.  Every 
now  and  again  the  Ashantis  would  halt  and  fire,  run- 
ning on  at  once,  bent  double,  and  busily  engaged  in 
putting  another  charge  in  their  guns.  And  all  the 
while  the  Houssas  and  West  Indians,  who  were  ad- 
vancing into  the  bush,  exposing  themselves  to  this  fire, 
could  not  see  a  single  enemy,  and  were  suffering  severe- 
ly in  consequence.  However.  Dick  and  his  bluejackets 
soon  made  a  difference  to  their  comfort.  Their  ritle 
shots  broke  the  silence  in  that  spot,  and  brought  an 
answering  shower  of  slugs  from  the  enemy.  Then, 
so  telling  was  their  fire,  that  the  Ashantis  broke  and 
fled  to  the  forest. 

"Bravo !  Well  done !  Well  done,  indeed,  blue- 
jackets!     Who  is  your  officer,  please?" 

An  officer  of  some  importance,  who  had  been  ad- 
vancing with  a  small  escort  along  the  side  of  the  bush, 
suddenly  rode  up.  mounted  on  a  mule,  and  halted  l3e- 
neath  the  trees  occupied  by  the  sailors.  Dick  glanced 
down  and  recognized  him  as  one  of  Sir  Garnet's  staff, 
an  officer  of  great  distinction.  He  scrambled  to  the 
ground,  rifle  in  hand,  and  advancing  took  off  his 
cap. 

"Dick  Stapleton,  sir,"  he  said.  "Sir  Garnet  put  me 
in  command  of  a  small  party,  with  orders  to  operate 
as  well  as  I  was  able  on  the  right  flank.  We  heard 
the  firing  and  answered." 

"Mr.  Stapleton.  Yes;  I  know  all  alx)ut  you,"  was 
the  reply,  as  the  officer  returned  the  salute.  "I  con- 
gratulate you  on  the  fruits  of  your  discovery.     You 


2  68    With  Wolseley  to  KumasI 

have  given  us  an  excellent  chance  of  punishing  the 
enemy.     Whose  idea  was  it  to  take  to  the  trees?" 

"Mine,  sir,"  admitted  Dick.     "I  am  in  command." 

"Exactly  so,  my  lad,  and  it  was  a  smart  movement. 
It  is  not  every  commander  who  would  have  thought  of 
it.  May  I  ask  if  you  have  been  operating  in  the  clear- 
ing on  our  right?     I  have  just  passed  through  it." 

Dick  again  admitted  the  fact,  and  described  in  a  few 
words  what  had  happened. 

"Not  all  quite  so  simple  as  you  imagine,  or  as  you 
have  stated,"  was  the  hearty  answer.  "You  give  all 
the  credit  to  your  men.  Quite  right,  sir.  Every  good 
officer  who  has  good  men  to  command  does  that.  It  is 
only  right  and  fair.  Allow  me  to  say  that  something 
is  also  due  to  the  one  in  command,  upon  whom  all  the 
responsibility  of  every  movement  depends.  Do  you 
know  the  result  of  that  little  action  ?  No.  Then  I  will 
tell  you.  The  enemy  were  practising  a  favourite 
manoeuvre:  they  were  attempting  to  close  in  on  our 
flanks.  On  the  left  the  sailors  and  marines  put  a  stop 
to  the  movement,  while  here  on  the  right  they  would 
have  succeeded  had  it  not  been  for  you.  Gallantly 
done,  men ;  a  very  fine  piece  of  work.  You  accounted 
for  thirty-seven  of  the  enemy,  and  beat  back  their  flank 
attack.  I  shall  take  good  care  to  mention  the  matter 
at  headquarters.  Now  we  will  advance  along  this 
flank,  and  see  if  we  cannot  induce  some  of  the  enemy 
to  halt  and  give  us  a  fight." 

Dick  and  his  men  were  delighted  and  glowing  with 
pride.  They  had  worked  hard,  and  fought  hard,  too, 
all  knew  that.  But,  though  they  were  aware  that  the 
force  opposed  to  them  was  a  large  one,  they  did  not 


Bluejackets,  Charge!  269 

imagine  that  siuli  an  important  movement  had  been 
in  progress,  and  that  they  had  been  the  means  of  put- 
ting a  summary  stop  to  it.  It  was  therefore  with 
light  hearts  and  spirits  raised  to  the  highest  point  that 
they  continued  the  advance.  Then  as  the  troops  swept 
the  enemy  before  them,  and  turned  along  the  beach, 
where  they  encountered  another  of  the  hostile  villages 
and  burned  it,  Dick  and  his  party  received  an  order  to 
halt,  and  the  same  officer  addressed  them. 

"We  shall  be  moving  well  away  from  the  river 
now,"  he  said,  "and  it  will  hardly  be  safe  for  you  to 
advance  with  us.  Return  to  your  launch  now,  for 
otherwise  you  might  have  to  fight  ever)'  inch  of  the 
way." 

Turning  about  the  party  retraced  their  steps  past  the 
bush  and  into  the  forest.  Then  they  entered  the  clear- 
ing, and  came  upon  the  results  of  their  impetuous 
charge.  It  was  not  pleasant  work  to  look  upon,  and 
they  hurried  away,  and  very  soon  were  at  the  river. 
A  loud  halloo  brought  the  launch  in  close  to  the  bank 
and  all  embarked,  those  who  had  been  left  aboard  mut- 
tering deeply  and  bitterly  against  the  cruel  fate  which 
had  caused  them  to  miss  such  an  opportunity  and  such 
distinction. 

Meanwhile  our  troops  had  advanced  still  farther 
parallel  to  the  beach,  and  had  fired  two  other  villages. 
They  came  upon  numerous  signs  that  the  Ashantis  had 
been  there  in  force,  and  in  one  spot  sure  evidence  of 
the  ferocity  of  these  people.  For  they  discovered  the 
body  of  an  unhappy  I'anti  captive,  suspended  feet  in 
air,  and  with  the  head  slashed  from  the  tnmk.  It  was 
a  horrible  sight,  and  caused  many  of  the  Ashantis  to 


270    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

lose  their  lives,  for  our  men  were  roused  to  fury,  and 
the  musketry  fire  was  so  searching,  and  the  rockets  so 
well  directed,  that  numbers  of  the  enemy  fell.  Finally, 
fully  satisfied  with  their  day's  work  against  the  enemy, 
the  troops  returned  to  their  quarters.  Sir  Garnet  steam- 
ing back  to  Cape  Coast  Castle. 

Late  that  night  an  officer  came  to  Mr.  Pepson's  in 
search  of  Dick  Stapleton.  For  the  report  of  his  con- 
duct had  come  to  headquarters,  and  he  was  required  to 
be  thanked  for  his  fine  services. 

"A  dashing  young  fellow,  and  a  valuable  officer," 
said  the  Chief  of  the  Staff,  with  enthusiasm.  "I  am 
empowered  to  offer  him  a  commission  in  the  regular 
service.     A  gallant  fellow,  indeed  !" 

But  there  was  no  trace  of  our  hero.  Indeed,  he  and 
his  men  had  not  returned.  No  sooner  had  the  battle 
ended,  as  far  as  they  were  concerned,  than  they  steamed 
down  the  river  and  along  the  coast.  When  night  fell 
they  w^ere  lying  within  the  mouth  of  the  river  leading 
to  the  Pra,  and  as  the  sun  came  up  on  the  following 
morning  he  looked  down  upon  the  rakish  little  launch 
surging  up  the  river  at  full  steam,  in  search  of  more 
information  and  also  of  a  little  more  adventure.  Nor 
was  it  long  before  one  of  these  came  to  them,  for  late 
on  the  following  morning  a  shout  came  echoing  down 
the  river,  while  the  eyes  of  all  aboard  the  launch  flew 
to  an  object  moving  swiftly  towards  them. 


CHAPTER  XVI 
News  from  Ashanti 

"A  boat!  a  native  boat!"  shouted  Jack,  ^vho  was 
keenly  alert.  "And  with  only  one  occupant  in  it. 
Look  how  he's  paddling!" 

"For  his  life,  I  should  say,"  chimed  in  Dick.  "Ah, 
there  goes  a  gim ;  and  see  where  the  bullet  splashed. 
The  man  who  fired  must  have  been  hidden  in  the  forest. 
I  don't  think  the  poor  beggar  stands  a  chance,  unless 
he  steers  right  across  to  the  far  side  of  the  river." 

"And  if  he  did,  sir,  he'd  be  had  sure  enough."  sang 
out  one  of  the  sailors.  "I  can  see  a  boat  creeping 
along  in  the  shadow.     Shall  we  try  a  shot,  sir?" 

For  a  little  while  there  was  no  answer.  It  was  diffi- 
cult to  say  whether  this  man — for  there  was  undoubt- 
edly only  one  in  the  flying  craft — was  an  enemy  or  a 
friend.  If  he  were  an  Ashanti,  then  he  was  certainly 
the  former.  But  then  were  those  who  pursued  him 
friendly  natives,  living  under  the  nominal  protection 
of  the  British,  therefore  opposed  to  the  Ashantis? 

"He's  in  trouble,  of  that  there  is  no  doubt."  said 
Dick,  suddenly,  as  the  native  boat,  propelled  by  the 
frantic  strokes  of  its  single  occupant  and  helped  by  the 

27» 


272    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

current,  swept  down  towards  them.  "And  he  has 
some  scores  of  enemies  pursuing  him.  What  if  he  is 
carrying  news  to  us  ?  Perhaps  he  is  coming  down  with 
important  information.  Get  your  rifles  ready,  and  if 
that  other  boat  pushes  out  into  the  river  get  her  range 
and  wait  for  the  word.  Ah,  he's  seen  us.  Did  you 
see  him  wave  his  paddle?" 

For  a  moment  the  unhappy  wretch  who  was  com- 
ing down  the  stream  in  such  desperate  haste  hfted  his 
paddle  and  waved  it  overhead  with  an  eagerness  there 
was  no  mistaking.  Then  he  plunged  it  into  the  water 
again,  and  plied  it  for  his  life.  That  he  was  threat- 
ened with  death  if  captured  there  could  be  little  doubt, 
for  the  unseen  foes  who  manned  the  far  bank  thrashed 
the  water  about  him  with  their  slugs,  while  the  silence 
and  peace  of  the  river  was  disturbed  by  the  loud  boom 
of  their  muzzle-loaders,  and  by  their  excited  shouts. 
In  a  moment  Dick  made  up  his  mind  to  help  the  fugi- 
tive, whoever  he  might  be,  and  at  a  word  the  sailors 
lay  down  and  commenced  to  fire  at  the  bushes  from 
wdiich  came  the  puffs  of  smoke.  Meanwhile  Jack 
Emmett  kept  the  launch  steadily  in  mid-stream,  John- 
nie supplying  her  with  a  small  amount  of  steam,  which 
was  sufficient  to  keep  her  under  way  and  prevent  her 
being  swept  back  by  the  current.  As  for  the  men  who 
had  appeared,  lurking  in  the  shadows  in  their  boat, 
a  single  shot  sufficed  to  send  them  back  round  the  bend 
of  the  river. 

"Perhaps  they  have  had  a  taste  of  our  rifles  before," 
thought  Dick,  as  he  watched  the  boat  and  saw  the 
splash  of  the  shot  where  it  struck  the  water  close  beside 
them.     "Anyway,  they  have  retreated  fast  enough,  and 


News  from  Ashanti  273 

I  fancy  the  fire  from  the  shore  is  dying  down.  Steady, 
men!  1  think  we  have  done  enough.  Our  fusillade 
has  stopped  their  advance  and  that  fellow  in  the  boat 
is  getting  out  of  their  range.     Look  at  him!" 

It  was  indeed  a  sight  to  behold,  for  if  the  fugitive 
had  shown  eagerness  before,  he  now  displayed  the 
utmost  delight  and  excitement.  He  shouted  to  the 
launch,  and  waved  his  paddle  again.  Then  he  turned, 
and  noticing  that  the  slugs  which  were  still  fired  at 
him  now  fell  far  astern,  he  laughed,  and  standing  up. 
shook  a  defiant  fist.  Then  once  more  he  threw  him- 
self on  his  knees,  and  dug  his  paddle  into  the  stream, 
sending  his  light  craft  ahead  till  the  water  was 
churned  into  froth  at  her  bows.  A  few  minutes  later 
he  came  level  with  the  launch,  when  he  threw  himself 
down  in  the  bottom  of  his  boat,  and  lay  there  exhausted 
and  out  of  breath  with  the  struggle. 

"Pull  him  aboard  and  let  him  lie  under  the  awning," 
said  Dick.  "Make  his  boat  fast,  and  then  we'll  push 
along  up  the  river.  Keep  well  under  cover,  for  we 
may  have  some  trouble.  That's  the  way.  Jack.  Keep 
in  the  very  centre,  for  it  is  so  wide  here  that  we  need 
have  little'  fear  should  they  fire,  while  we  can  reach 
either  bank  with  our  weapons." 

Obedient  to  a  nod  from  his  master.  Johnnie  opened 
the  throttle  a  little,  till  the  launch  attained  a  good 
pac  Meanwhile  the  sailors  had  rapidly  transferred  the 
fugitive  from  his  boat  to  the  deck  of  the  steamer,  and 
had  made  his  craft  fast  right  aft.  Only  then  did  Dick 
notice  that  the  native  was  not  an  Ashanti,  while  a  half- 
healed  wound  on  one  thigh,  now  bleeding  afresh  after 
his  exertions,  or  perhaps  because  of  a  second  injur)', 


2  74    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

showed  that  he  had  Uttle  cause  to  thank  those  from 
whom  he  fled.  As  for  the  latter,  an  occasional  shot 
from  the  bank  told  that  some  were  still  there,  though 
their  slugs  were  quite  harmless  at  that  distance,  and, 
indeed,  failed  to  reach  the  launch.  But  even  these 
soon  ceased  to  trouble,  particularly  when  the  sailors 
directed  their  rifles  at  the  flashes,  and  sent  in  a  with- 
ering volley.  Of  the  other  boat  nothing  was  seen, 
and  in  all  probability  she  had  long  since  been  hidden. 

"They  must  have  rounded  the  bend  and  then 
dragged  her  into  the  forest,"  said  Dick.  "I  think  we 
might  steam  on  another  mile,  and  then  talk  to  this  fel- 
low.    He's  not  an  Ashanti,  Jack." 

"And  he's  no  friend  of  theirs,  either,"  sang  out  Jack, 
from  his  post  at  the  tiller.  "He  looks  thin  and  ill- 
used,  and  may  very  well  have  been  one  of  the  wretched 
beggars  you  have  told  me  about  who  are  kept  prisoners 
at  Kumasi,  till  some  uncle  or  grandmother  of  King 
Koffee's  dies,  when  hundreds  of  captives  are  sac- 
rificed." 

"]\Iore  than  likely,"  was  our  hero's  answer,  for  he 
had  been  in  this  part  of  the  country  long  enough  to 
have  learned  all  that  was  known  of  the  Ashantis  and 
their  ferocity.  He  knew  that  it  was  said  that  thousands 
were  slain  in  cold  blood  every  year  in  this  horrible  den 
called  Kumasi,  and  that  the  death  of  a  king's  son  neces- 
sitated the  slaying  of  at  least  two  thousand  wretched 
girls,  children  and  men,  to  satiate  the  hideous  Moloch 
reigning  over  the  fetish  house  at  the  capital.  And  no 
doubt  this  poor  fellow  was  one.  Dick  nodded  to  him 
and  smiled,  and  at  the  sign  of  friendship  the  man  rose 
and  crept  towards  him  till  he  crouched  at  his  feet. 


News  from  Ashanti  275 

Then  he  cHd  a  strange  thing.  lie  fumbled  with  his 
twitching  fingers  in  the  masses  of  liis  hair,  and  finally 
produced  a  discoloured  piece  of  linen. 

"For  the  white  chief."  he  said;  "I  have  risked  my 
life  to  bring  it  to  you.     These  Ashanti  men  would  have 

killed  me  as  I  came,  and  if  they  had  captured  me " 

The  very  thought  of  what  might  have  followed  un- 
nerved the  man.  who  was  still  suffering  from  the  ef- 
fects of  his  desperate  efforts  to  escape.  His  teeth 
shook  while  his  limbs  trembled.  Then  he  seized  our 
hero  by  the  hand  and  clung  to  it  as  if  his  life  now 
depended  upon  doing  so. 

"Who  are  you?"  asked  Dick,  using  the  Ashanti 
tongue.  "Where  do  you  come  from,  and  why  have 
you  l^een  pursued?" 

"Look  at  the  letter,  chief.  See  the  figures  there  and 
I  will  talk.  I  am  an  Assim.  I  hate  these  cruel 
Ashantis." 

The  native  watched  with  eager  eyes  as  the  strip  of 
discoloured  linen  was  unfolded,  and  started  back  as  if 
in  terror  as  the  white  youth  suddenly  rose  from  the  roof 
of  the  deck  cabin  to  his  feet  and  glared  at  the  strip. 
It  was  an  important  missive,  evidently,  for  he  grew 
red  with  excitement,  and  gave  a  prolonged  whistle  of 
astonishment.  Then  he  called  in  loud  tones  to  Jack 
to  come  to  his  side.  There  was  a  tone  of  profound 
astonishment  and  relief  in  his  voice,  and  he  waved  the 
strip  of  linen  above  his  head. 

"News!"  he  shouted.     "News  at  last!     Look  at  the 

signature.    Poor  beggar !    How  he  must  be  suffering !" 

^"Who?     Who's  the  poor  beggar?     Is  it  one  of  the 

captives  about  whom  there  has  been  such  a  row  ?     You 


276    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

know  whom  I  mean.  The  Europeans  for  whom  King 
Koffee  demanded  a  ransom." 

"Yes;  it  is  his  latest  prisoner,"  was  Dick's  answer. 
'•Look  here." 

He  spread  out  the  tattered  piece  of  dirty  linen  upon 
the  roof  of  the  cabin  and  showed  it  to  his  friend.  It 
looked  as  though  it  might  at  one  time  have  formed  a 
portion  of  a  wdiite  linen  handkerchief,  or  perhaps  it 
was  a  strip  torn  from  a  man's  shirt.  In  any  case  it 
had  been  pressed  into  the  service  of  the  writer  of  the 
missive  for  lack  of  other  and  better  material ;  and  the 
ink  with  which  the  letters  were  scrawled  was  in  all 
probability  derived  from  the  diluted  juice  of  some 
berry  growing  in  the  forest.  They  straggled  across 
the  strip,  some  large  and  some  very  small,  all  more  or 
less  blotched  and  blurred,  while  many  unmistakably 
pointed  to  the  fact  that  a  pointed  twig  or  some  such 
primitive  implement  had  done  service  for  a  pen. 

''From  Meinheer  Van  Somering,"  said  Dick,  im- 
pressively. "Poor  beggar!  He  is  one  of  the  owners 
of  the  mme,  as  I  have  already  told  you,  and  it  was  he 
who  was  attacked  with  Mr.  Pepson  on  their  way  down 
to  the  coast.  The  agent  whose  place  I  took  was  killed 
at  the  first  volley,  while  Meinheer  capsized  the  boat. 
The  last  that  Mr.  Pepson  saw  of  him  was  as  he  plunged 
into  the  river.  We  thought  him  drowned,  and  he  is, 
or  w^as,  a  captive.     Listen,  and  I  will  read." 

He  spread  the  strip  out  once  more,  smoothing  the 
many  creases,  and  having  again  nm  his  eye  over  the 
letters  commenced  to  read. 

"  'For  the  love  of  Gott,  help  me,  mein  friends.  I 
have  made  the  escape  from  these  terrible  Ashanti  men. 


News  from  Ashanti  277 

I  have  come  to  the  creek  where  was  the  mine,  and, 
alas!  there  is  no  boat.  All  are  g-one.  With  me  is  one 
friend,  a  native,  who  make  the  escape  also.  He  say 
he  can  find  boat  down  the  stream  and  make  for  the 
coast.  He  will  try.  Brave  man!  H  he  live,  then  he 
return  with  mein  friend,  and  make  the  rescue.  Mein 
word !  how  I  wait  for  him.  Christian  \'an  Som- 
ering.'  " 

It  was  a  pathetic  missive,  scrawled  as  it  was  on  this 
dirty  strip  of  linen,  and  Dick's  eyes  filled  with  tears  at 
the  thought  of  the  miserable  condition  of  Meinheer. 
His  face  assumed  an  expression  of  determination,  and 
he  swung  round  upon  the  native  with  a  question.  So 
sudden  and  unexpected  was  the  movement,  that  the 
man  cringed  to  the  deck  agtiin,  and  placed  his  hands 
over  his  head  as  if  to  ward  off  a  blow. 

"Have  no  fear,"  said  our  hero,  in  the  Ashanti 
tongue.  "Tell  me  all  about  this  matter;  how  you 
came  to  meet  the  white  man,  and  how  you  made  your 
escape.     Where  is  he  living  now?" 

It  was  pitiable  to  watch  the  relief  depicted  upon  the 
face  of  the  fugitive  as  he  heard  the  words.  He  knelt 
upon  the  deck  and  l(X)ked  about  him  as  though  he  could 
hardly  believe  his  ears.  He  might  have  been  a  culprit 
who  expected  discovery  at  any  moment,  and  who  sud- 
denly found  that  suspicion  had  passed  over  his  head 
and  had  settled  upon  some  other  individual.  He 
sighed,  stood  up,  and  then  began  to  answer. 

"It  is  a  long  tale,  but  I  can  tell  it  shortly,"  he  said. 
"I  was  in  the  village  when  the  enemy  came  upon  us. 
and  with  many  others  was  taken  prisoner.  Here  is 
the  mark  of  the  wound  which  I  received  as  I  endeav- 


278    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

oured  to  escape.  I  was  taken  towards  Kumasi,  the 
place  where  slaves  are  killed  in  the  house  of  execution, 
and  I  knew  that  death  was  before  me.  Like  many  an- 
other I  longed  to  effect  an  escape,  and  it  happened  that 
I  succeeded  with  the  help  of  the  white  chief.  Yes, 
chief,  he  was  a  prisoner  also,  being  dragged  towards 
Kumasi,  and  it  was  he  who,  as  we  lay  side  by  side  one 
night,  bit  through  the  lashings  which  secured  my  arms 
and  legs.  Then  I  set  him  free  and  we  stole  away  to 
this  place  where  the  white  chief  had  once  been.  None 
suspected  that  we  were  there,  and  we  had  hoped  to  find 
another  white  chief  at  the  mine,  and  boats  in  which  to 
make  down  the  river.  But  there  was  no  stockade. 
The  place  had  been  burned,  and  the  boats  were  gone." 

"How  long  ago  is  this?"  demanded  Dick.  "When 
did  you  meet  the  white  chief  ?" 

The  native  counted  the  days  off  on  his  fingers  and 
thought  for  a  moment.  Then  he  stretched  out  his 
hands  and  lifted  his  ten  fingers  into  the  air  four  times 
in  succession. 

"It  is  so  many  days,  perhaps  more,"  he  said.  "I 
cannot  say.  The  days  were  so  much  alike.  We  lived 
in  terror  of  our  lives,  for  the  enemy  were  on  the  river 
and  about  the  mine.  We  hid  in  the  forest,  living  on 
yams  and  plantains.  Then  the  chief  fell  sick,  and 
for  a  little  while  I  thought  he  would  die.  But  he  re- 
covered, and  bade  me  go  down  the  river  wdth  this  scrap 
of  linen.     He  lies  there  near  the  creek,  chief." 

"Yes,  but  that  does  not  explain  how  you  managed  to 
make  this  journey,"  interposed  our  hero.  "How  did 
you  obtain  the  boat  ?" 

"I  stole  it.     At  night  I  crept  through  the  forest  close 


News  from  Ashanti  279 

to  the  water,  till  I  came  to  the  canip  uf  the  enemy. 
Then  I  searched  and  found  a  boat,  .\fter  that  I  fled, 
and  the  chief  knows  what  happened.  He  saved  my 
life." 

It  was  a  simple  tale  of  escape,  and  there  was  nothing 
wonderful  about  it.  The  incidents  of  it  escaped  the 
minds  of  the  hearers  at  once,  for  their  thoughts  were 
turned  to  Meinheer  Van  Somering,  lying  there  in  the 
forest,  struck  down  with  the  all-prevailing  fever,  no 
doubt. 

"Of  course  we  shall  go  up-stream  and  take  him  kick 
to  the  coast,"  said  Dick,  promptly.  "But  first  we  must 
find  out  something  about  the  enemy.  It  would  never 
do  to  be  caught  in  a  trap.  Tell  me  about  the  Ashantis," 
he  went  on.  addressing  the  native.  "Where  are  their 
camps?" 

"There  are  two  on  the  river."  was  the  answer. 
"From  the  first  I  stole  the  boat,  and  the  second,  which 
is  lower  down,  discovered  me  as  the  dawn  came." 

"Then  they  would  certainly  discover  us."  said  Jack, 
when  Dick  had  explained  matters  to  him.  "We  should 
find  ourselves  in  a  regular  hive,  and  that  would  not  be 
very  pleasant.  Mind,  Dick,  I  don't  want  to  discourage 
this  idea  of  rescue:  still,  we  must  think  of  the  men. 
Could  we  run  up  in  the  launch  without  being  seen  and 
followed  ?" 

A  vigorous  shake  of  Dick's  head  was  the  answer. 
"We  should  be  discovered  as  sure  as  eggs.  Then  they 
would  put  a  fleet  of  boats  on  the  river  and  follow. 
Their  gims  would  attract  the  attention  of  their  com- 
rades higher  up.  and.  well — I  couldn't  expect  such  good 
fortune  again  as  befell  Johnnie  and  myself  on  a  former 


2  8o    with  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

occasion.  Frankly,  to  run  the  launch  up  under  such 
circumstances  would  be  madness." 

There  was  silence  for  some  minutes  amongst  the 
group  gathered  about  the  cabin,  the  throb  of  the  min- 
iature engine  alone  breaking  the  silence  of  the  river. 
A  difficult  question  had  to  be  settled,  and  the  longer 
the  two  young  Englishmen  stared  at  the  strange  mis- 
sive written,  or  scratched  rather,  upon  the  dirty  strip 
of  linen,  the  greater  did  the  difficulty  become.  It  was 
clear  to  both  that,  however  big  the  stake,  however  im- 
portant the  life  to  be  rescued,  they  had  no  right  to  risk 
the  safety  of  the  whole  of  the  launch's  crew,  and  there 
would  be  risk  if  they  went.  More  than  that,  the  at- 
tempt to  ascend,  with  the  certain  information  that  there 
were  two  camps  on  the  banks  of  the  river,  would  be 
madness,  and  deserving  of  the  utmost  censure. 

"Ask  him  if  he  thinks  we  could  rush  through,  and 
how  far  it  is,"  suggested  Jack,  suddenly. 

"It  would  mean  death.  There  are  thousands  of  the 
enemy,"  was  the  answer.  "As  to  the  place,  it  is  not 
very  far.  I  stole  the  boat  last  night  and  by  dawn  I 
reached  this  part.  For  some  hours  the  stream  carried 
me,  for  I  would  not  risk  the  use  of  the  paddle. 

"Twenty  miles  at  least,"  muttered  Dick,  staring  out 
across  the  water. 

"And  too  far  to  risk  a  rush.  There  is  no  moon 
to-night,  Dick,  and  that  would  be  against  us,  for  if 
we  steamed  up,  it  would  be  at  full  speed,  and  we  should 
come  back  at  the  sam.e  pace  also.  Well,  for  that  we 
want  light.  There  may  be  banks  here  and  there.  The 
risk  of  collision  would  be  great.  In  short,  I'm  dead 
against  it.     Don't  think  I'm  funking;  I'm  not.     We 


News  from  Ashanti  281 

are  here  to  gather  information,  and,  of  course,  we 
would  effect  a  rescue  if  possible.  We  are  not  au- 
thorized to  act  rashly,  and  endanger  the  whole  expe- 
dition by  making  an  attempt  which  is  foredoomed  to 
failure.  In  short,  we  are  supposed  to  possess  common 
sense  and  courage,  and  in  the  decision  of  this  question 
it  appears  to  me  that  it  requires  more  courage  to  say, 
'Xo,  it  can't  be  done;  we  must  leave  the  poor  beggar,' 
than  it  does  to  stoke  our  fires  and  steam  up  the  river  at 
full  speed." 

There  was  no  doubt  that  Jack  Emmett  had  placed 
the  facts  of  the  matter  in  a  nutshell,  and  that  it  pained 
him  to  say  what  he  had  said.  Dick  knew  him  well 
enough  now  to  be  sure  that  his  companion  had  suffi- 
cient dash  and  daring  for  this  or  any  other  expedition, 
and  he  knew  well,  too,  that  if  he,  the  leader  of  this 
little  party,  gave  the  word,  the  movement  would  be 
commenced  without  a  murmur,  and  every  effort  made 
to  carry  it  through  to  a  satisfactory  conclusion.  But 
had  he  the  right  to  give  such  an  order?  Might  he  risk 
the  lives  of  all  for  one,  and  that  one  not  an  English- 
man? Could  he  leave  him  to  his  fate,  knowing  that  he 
only  lay  some  twenty  miles  away? 

"Impossible!  I  would  rather  risk  anything,"  he 
said  aloud.  "Vou  are  right.  Jack,"  he  exclaimed, 
turning  to  his  friend.  "I  am  not  justified  in  asking 
the  men  to  join  in  such  a  dash — hair-brained  attempt 
it  would  he  called.  Besides,  this  expedition  is  sent 
here  for  a  purpose,  and  that  is  to  gather  news  of  the 
utmost  importance.  That  is  our  aim  and  object  in 
coming  here,  and  we  must  keep  it  prominently  before 
us.     There  is  just  one  saving  clause." 


282    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

"That  is?"  demanded  Jack,  breathlessly. 

"That  I  have  a  subaltern,  as  I  may  call  you.  If  1 
am  shot,  or  fall  ill,  the  launch  need  not  return,  as  once 
before  happened  to  us,  on  my  account,  I  grieve  to  state. 
The  launch  would  remain  and  carry  out  the  work." 

"Quite  so.  But  I  don't  follow.  I  hope  you  won't 
be  shot.  If  you  are,  then,  of  course,  I  shall  command, 
and  it  will  be  a  case  of  the  fortune  of  war." 

He  might  have  been  a  Frenchman  by  his  manner  of 
shrugging  his  shoulders.  His  handsome,  open  face 
showed  clearly  that  he  disliked  this  conversation  where- 
in the  possible  fate  of  his  friend  and  commander  was 
discussed. 

"Certainly,"  came  Dick's  answer,  given  in  the  cool- 
est tones.  "As  leader,  I  give  orders.  I  find  on  going 
into  this  matter,  that  it  would  be  unwise  to  risk  the 
lives  of  the  crew  and  ourselves  in  attempting  a  rescue. 
But,  at  the  same  time,  I  cannot  leave  an  old  friend  to  a 
ghastly  fate." 

"Then  you  will  go?" 

"Yes;  I  will  go  alone  with  this  native.  He  came 
down  the  river  at  night,  and  what  he  has  done  I  can 
do.  I  will  return  with  him,  and  we  will  bring  my 
friend  away.  You  will  command  in  my  absence,  and 
will  remain  as  near  as  possible,  so  as  to  pick  us  up. 
It's  all  very  clear  and  simple." 

"By  George !  clear  and  simple !     You  can't  mean  it  ?" 

A  nod  of  the  head  v/as  his  only  answer,  as  the  two 
young  fellows  stared  at  each  other,  Dick  looking  very 
calm  and  determined,  and  Jack  decidedly  taken  aback. 
As  for  the  crew,  who  perforce,  owing  to  the  limited 
space  aboard  the  launch,  had  been  interested  listeners 


News  fr^m   AsliLinti  283 

to  the  whole  conversatiun,  they  liad  been  itching  to 
throw  in  a  word  to  encourage  the  order  for  a  dash, 
for  nothing  would  have  pleased  these  gallant  fellows 
more.  But  they  were  intelligent  men.  and  they,  too, 
when  the  matter  was  thrashed  out  before  them,  could 
understand  the  grave  risk  attached  to  such  an  attempt, 
and  the  fact  that  it  was  not  legitimate  to  undertake  it. 
They  could  appreciate  a  brave  decision,  too,  and  as 
their  young  leader  quietly  announced  his  intentions, 
they  set  up  a  cheer,  which  brought  the  blood  to  his 
cheeks.  Jack  gripped  him  by  the  hand,  while  Johnnie 
started  from  his  stoking  well,  and  came  a  pace  nearer. 

"Then  yo  want  me,"  he  said  eagerly.  "Johnnie 
know^  de  forest,  know  dese  debil  Ashanti,  and  hab  no 
fear.     He  fight  plenty  Ashanti." 

"I  want  no  one,  thank  you."  came  the  answer.  "I  will 
accompany  this  native,  and  I  shall  hope  to  be  back  here 
two  nights  from  this.  'Bout  ship.  Jack.  We  must 
make  these  beggars  think  that  we  are  turning  tail. 
Now.  ril  ask  this  fellow  a  question  Come  here,  my 
man.  Will  you  direct  me  to  the  white  chief  to-night, 
and  return  here  with  him?" 

A  smile  broke  out  on  the  wan  face  of  the  native,  and 
he  showed  his  teeth. 

"I  will  go  gladly,"  he  said.  "To  the  white  chief  my 
life  is  due.  and  1  will  repay  the  debt.  Let  there  be  no 
fear  for  our  safety.  These  enemies  will  not  ex- 
pect us,  and  during  the  night  we  shall  easily  pull  up  to 
the  creek.     In  two  days,  perhaps,  we  shall  return." 

All  was  now  bustle  and  movement  aboard  the  launch, 
for  many  preparations  for  the  coming  attempt  had  to 
be  made.     Meanwhile,  seeing  that  he  could  not  per- 


284    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

suade  his  comrade  not  to  make  the  journey,  Jack  Em- 
mett  went  to  the  hehn  and  sent  the  launch  back  to  her 
course,  down  the  centre  of  the  river.  And  there  he 
held  her,  sitting  motionless  and  thoughtful  at  the  tiller, 
while  Dick  and  his  men  prepared  the  native  boat.  Two 
rifles  and  an  abundant  store  of  ammunition  were 
placed  in  her,  and  to  these  were  added  a  cooking-pot, 
some  tinned  provisions,  and  a  keg  of  water.  That 
done,  and  some  miles  having  been  covered  since  they 
turned  towards  the  sea,  the  launch  was  run  in  toward 
the  bank  and  anchored,  while  all  threw  themselves 
down  beneath  the  awning  to  sleep.  As  evening  came, 
they  partook  of  a  meal,  and  once  the  night  had  fallen, 
they  pulled  m  their  anchor  and  stood  up  the  centre  of 
the  river  again,  their  course  guided  by  the  faint  streak 
which  intervened  between  the  two  black  lines  of  forest 
on  either  side.  A  shield  of  sacking  surrounded  the 
top  of  the  funnel,  while  precautions  were  taken  to  hide 
all  trace  of  light  from  the  fire.  In  fact,  the  launch 
might  have  been  a  ghost,  so  silent  and  invisible  was 

she. 

"Stop  her.      Bring  that  boat  forward,  please." 

It  was  Dick's  voice,  cool  and  collected  as  before. 

"Now  hold  her  while  we  embark.  Good-bye,  Jack. 
Good-bye,  men.  Keep  a  watch  for  us  to-morrow 
night.     Shove  her  off." 

A  dozen  hands  stretched  out  to  grip  his  in  the  dark- 
ness, and  a  dozen  voices,  gruff  and  deep,  and  sunk  to  a 
whisper,  bade  him  good  luck  and  good-bye.  A  push 
then  sent  the  boat  clear  of  the  launch,  and  within  a  few 
seconds  she  was  under  way,  the  dip  of  the  paddles 
being  just  distinguishable.     That  sound  soon  ceased, 


News  from  Ashanti  285 

and  as  the  crew  of  the  launch  stared  disconsolately 
after  their  leader,  they  could  neither  hear  nor  see  a 
trace  of  the  boat. 

"Good  luck  to  the  lad,"  growled  one  of  the  sailors. 
''Blest  if  he  ain't  the  pluckiest  gentleman  as  ever  I  see." 

"And  if  them  fellers  gets  'im  and  does  for  our  young 
orfficer,  I  tell  yer  they'll  'ave  ter  pay,  do  yer  'ear?" 
growled  another.  "Strike  me !  but  we'll  give  'em  some- 
thing for  interferin" !" 

"Silence  there,  for'ard.  'Bout  launch!  Steady 
there  with  the  tiller,  and  hold  your  tongues,  my  lads." 

This  time  it  was  Jack  Emmett's  voice,  strangely 
altered.  At  once  there  was  silence.  But  the  men 
could  think  and  mutter  to  themselves,  and  as  they 
slowly  steamed  down  the  dark  river  that  black  night, 
each  and  all,  from  their  new  commander  downward, 
registered  a  vow  that  if  Dick  Stapleton  did  not  soon 
return,  they  would  find  the  cause  and  probe  the  mystery 
to  the  bottom. 


CHAPTER  XVII 
A   Well-laid   Scheme 

"Not  a  sound.  Nothing  to  disturb  us.  We  have 
been  lucky." 

"And  the  creek  hes  within  an  hour's  paddling  from 
here,  chief.  Soon  we  shall  reach  the  white  man  who 
befriended  me." 

It  was  still  quite  dark,  though  the  partial  view 
which  the  curling  river  Prahsu  allowed  of  the  east 
showed  that  there  the  sky  was  already  streaked  with 
dull  grey  clouds,  and  that  the  day  would  not  be  long 
in  coming.  It  was  hours  since  the  native  boat  had 
put  off  from  the  launch,  and  the  paddles  of  the  two 
occupants  had  dipped  regularly  and  monotonously  all 
the  while,  with  an  occasional  spell  of  rest.  And  never 
once  had  a  sound  or  suspicion  of  the  proximity  of  the 
enemy  alarmed  them. 

"We  had  better  paddle  over  to  the  bank  and  be  ready 
to  take  cover  beneath  the  trees,"  said  Dick,  at  last. 
"I  remember  that  they  overhang,  and  that  we  can  run 
in  beneath  them  and  still  paddle.  Let  us  get  close  to 
them,  and  stay  outside  till  the  light  is  brighter." 

"Or  it  may  be  that  we  shall  be  within  the  creek  by 
then,"    came   the   answer.      "Then    there    will  be   no 

286 


A  Well-laid  Scheme  287 

danger.  We  have  seen  no  sign  of  the  enemy  near  the 
mine  for  some  days  past." 

Turning  the  nose  of -the  native  lx3at  towards  the 
bank,  they  ran  her  in  till  she  was  only  a  few  yards 
from  the  long  and  continuous  line  of  overhanging 
boughs  which  clothed  the  side  of  the  river.  And  in 
that  position  they  paddled  on  till  the  growing  light 
warned  them  that  longer  stay  in  the  open  would  be 
dangerous.  Then  they  plunged  in  beneath  the  boughs, 
and  continued  their  passage  up  the  river.  Presently  a 
cr}'  from  the  native  attracted  Dick's  attention. 

"The  creek,  chief."  he  called  out.  "We  will  push 
on." 

He  was  strangely  excited,  and  now  that  the  goal 
was  in  sight  plunged  his  paddle  into  the  water  with 
greater  energy,  and  set  the  pace  so  that  his  white  com- 
panion had  difficulty  in  keeping  time.  They  surged 
along  through  the  shallows,  dodging  the  boughs  which 
dropped  to  the  water,  and  ducking  their  heads  to  avoid 
others  which  came  dangerously  near  to  the  boat.  It  was 
still  hardly  light  when  they  shot  the  boat  into  the  nar- 
row mouth  of  the  creek,  though  as  they  rested  on  their 
paddles  and  looked  back,  the  gloom  surrounding  this 
narrow  and  ftietid  strip  of  water  was  deejier  when  com- 
pared witli  the  prospect  offered  by  the  river. 

"At  last,"  said  Dick.  "We  are  here  in  safety,  and 
still  there  is  no  sign  of  the  enemy.  Where  is  Mein- 
heer?     Shall  we  have  trouble  in  finding  him?" 

"Perhaps  a  little,"  was  the  answer.  "He  wanders 
here  and  there  in  search  of  food,  and  to  keep  watch 
lest  these  Ashanti  men  should  come  to  the  neighbour- 
hood." 


2  88    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

"Halt!"'  whispered  Dick,  suddenly,  for  he  thought 
he  saw  a  dark  object  on  the  bank.  "Look  there !  Is 
that  some  one  watching  us  ?  There !  He  has  moved 
away." 

They  came  to  a  sudden  stop,  while  each  peered  into 
the  jungle.  The  native  lifted  his  head  to  listen,  while 
his  white  companion  stretched  out  his  hand  for  his  rifle 
and  took  it  across  his  knees. 

"Perhaps  a  beast  of  the  forest,  chief.  It  was  not  a 
man,  of  that  I  feel  sure.  Let  us  press  on,  for  we  might 
still  be  seen  from  the  main  channel  of  the  river,  and 
see  how  light  it  is  getting." 

Once  more  they  plunged  their  paddles  into  the  water 
and  sent  the  boat  ahead,  though  Dick,  who  sat  in  the 
stern,  kept  his  eyes  on  the  forest.  His  suspicious  were 
aroused,  and  he  was  now  keenly  alert,  for  he  felt 
almost  sure  that  he  had  actually  seen  a  man.  Then, 
too,  something  told  him  that  they  were  being  watched. 

"That  was  a  call,  too,"  he  said  to  himself  suddenly, 
as  the  note  of  a  bird  came  to  his  ear.  "Of  course  it 
may  have  been  all  right,  but  I  don't  half  like  it." 

He  eased  his  sword  in  its  sheath,  and  felt  for  his 
revolver,  which  of  late  he  had  carried  suspended  to 
his  shoulder  and  between  his  coat  and  his  shirt.  There 
it  was  out  of  the  way  and  out  of  sight,  while  he  found 
that  he  could  lay  hold  of  it  instantly.  In  fact,  it  was 
an  excellent  position,  for  whether  in  a  boat  or  ashore, 
the  weapon,  placed  where  it  was,  did  not  strike  against 
objects  when  he  sat  down  or  moved  rapidly.  A  little 
later  the  bend  in  this  stagnant  creek  came  into  view, 
and  there  was  the  place  where  the  boats  had  been 
secured  when  he  was  at  the  mine.     He  could  see  the 


A  Well-laid  Sclicmc  2  8g 

dark  surface  of  the  sluggish  stream  as  it  issued  from 
the  jungle,  and  though  he  peered  amidst  the  trees  there 
was  not  a  man  or  beast  to  be  seen. 

"In  a  few  minutes  it  will  be  lighter,"  said  the  native. 
"Then  we  will  land  and  search.  Perhaps  the  chief  will 
stay  here  on  the  bank  while  I  go  in  search  of  my 
friend." 

Dick  thought  for  a  moment.  Would  it  l)e  wise  to 
land,  and  perhaps  have  a  dozen  or  more  of  the  enemy 
upon  him?  Would  it  not  be  wiser  to  stay  aboard  and 
lie  off  in  the  stream?  That  would  give  him  an  enor- 
mous advantage  in  case  of  attack.  But  suppose  Mein- 
heer  were  near  at  hand,  and  he  were  seen  and  followed ; 
he  would  require  help.  "You  shall  go  ashore  first," 
he  said  to  the  native.  "I  will  wait  here,  and  when 
you  report  that  all  is  clear  near  the  landing  stage,  I  will 
come." 

For  a  moment  it  seemed  as  though  the  man  hardly 
liked  the  order,  for  he  looked  at  his  companion  doubt- 
fully, and  fidgeted.  Then  he  thrust  his  paddle  into  the 
water  and  shot  the  boat  close  to  the  side. 

"In  a  few  moments."  he  said.  'T  sliall  (juickly  decide 
whether  there  are  enemies  al^out." 

He  leaped  to  the  bank,  giving  the  l>:>at  a  push  out 
into  the  stream,  and  at  once  disappeared  in  the  dense 
jungle.  For  a  little  while  the  crash  of  twigs  and  dead 
l)oughs  told  that  he  was  moving,  but  finally  the  sounds 
died  down.  Once  our  hero  thought  he  heard  the  far- 
off  cry  of  a  bird,  but  he  was  not  sure,  anfl  presently 
his  suspicions  of  danger  were  set  aside  by  the  recur- 
rence of  the  sounds  of  some  one  moving  and  by  the 
sudden  appearance  of  the  native  on  the  bank. 


290    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

"All  is  clear,"  the  man  called  out.  "The  forest  is 
empty.  Even  the  white  chief  is  nowhere  at  hand.  But 
we  shall  find  him  soon.  It  is  safe  for  the  chief  to 
land." 

Satisfied  now  that  his  suspicions  had  been  ground- 
less, and  yet  with  the  ever-present  feeling  that  there 
might  be,  and  probably  was,  some  danger  to  be  antici- 
pated, Dick  drove  his  paddle  into  the  water,  and  sent 
the  nose  of  the  boat  into  the  bank.  The  native  caught 
the  rope  and  dragged  at  it,  while  his  master  leaped 
ashore,  rifle  in  hand.  Then,  together,  they  pulled  the 
boat  half  way  up  on  the  bank,  and  made  the  painter 
fast  to  a  tree.  Not  till  then  did  Dick  observe  a  figure 
creeping  towards  him  through  the  jungle.  He  gave 
a  startled  cry,  and  lifted  his  rifle  to  his  shoulder.  Then 
a  second  figure  came  into  view,  and  just  as  he  was  in 
the  act  of  pulling  his  trigger  a  dozen  natives  rushed 
forward  from  different  directions,  while  the  very  man 
w^hom  he  had  rescued  dow^n  the  river,  and  who  had 
brought  the  note  from  the  Dutchman,  leaped  on  his 
back,  and  flung  his  hands  over  his  face.  Then  com- 
menced a  desperate  struggle,  for  Dick  realized  in  a 
flash  that  he  was  the  victim  of  a  ruse ;  that  he  had  been 
hoodwinked  and  decoyed  to  this  place.  At  the  thought 
his  usually  placid  temper  broke  its  bounds,  and  in  an 
instant  he  became  furious  with  rage,  while  his  strength, 
which  at  all  times  was  of  no  mean  order,  became 
doubled.  \\^ith  a  snarl  he  dropped  the  rifle,  and  ere 
the  men  charging  down  upon  him  could  come  to  close 
quarters,  he  had  gripped  the  wrists  of  the  ruflian  who 
had  leaped  on  his  back,  and  torn  the  hands  from  his 
face.     Then  he  swung  the  man  round,   and  picking 


A  Well-laid  Sclicmc  291 

him  up  as  if  he  were  a  child,  flung  him  with  furious 
energy  against  a  huge  cotton  tree  growing  just  beside 
him. 

By  then  the  others  were  at  hand,  and  the  contest 
was  continued  with  desperate  earnestness.     Dick  knew 
that  he  was  cornered,  and  across  his  mind  the  results 
of  capture  passed  vividly.     In  a  flash  he  saw  himself 
a  prisoner,  led  to  Kumasi,  there  to  be  slaughtered.     It 
was  a  terrible  prospect,  and  the  thought  of  it  increased 
his  desperation.     His  teeth  closed  tightly  together,  not 
a  sound  escaped  his  lips  in  response  to  the  shouts  of 
the  enemy.     Then  his  hand  flew  to  his  sword ;  but  he 
had  no  time  to  draw  it,  for  one  of  the  enemy,  a  tall, 
lanky  Ashanti,  was  already  upon  him,  rushing  into 
close  quarters,  and  wielding  an  enonnous  stake.     The 
weapon  was  already  in  the  air  when  Dick  saw  his  dan- 
ger, and  he  had  barely  time  to  leap  aside.     Then  his 
instinct  caused  him  to  make  use  of  nature's  weapons, 
and  in  a  trice  his  right  fist  flew  out  and  struck  the  na- 
tive full  on  the  forehead,  sending  him  staggering  back 
against  the  tree  at  the  foot  of  which  lay  the  body  of 
the  native  who  had  acted  as  decoy.     There  was  a  third 
close  at  hand  by  now.  but  nothing  daunted  the  solitary 
white  man  sprang  at  the  stake  which  had  dmpped  to 
the  ground  and  seized  it.     Then  the  conflict  went  on 
with   renewed   energy   on   his  part.     With   sweeping 
blows  he  held  the  enemy  at  Ixiy,  and  as  the  more  ven- 
turesome rushed  in.  the  stake  went  up  with  a  whirl, 
there  was  a  crash,  and  another  man  fell  to  the  ground. 
It  was  not  to  be  such  a  one-sided  contest  after  all. 
and  in  a  little  while,  when  he  had  cleared  the  natives 
farther  back,  Dick  hoped  to  be  able  to  rush  for  the 


292    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

boat,  launch  it,  and  push  it  from  the  bank.  Then 
would  come  the  time  for  his  revolver,  and  he  promised 
himself  that  he  would  make  good  use  of  it.  But  he 
had  greater  trouble  to  contend  with,  for  the  crash  of 
broken  boughs  in  the  forest  told  him  that  others  were 
near  at  hand.  Indeed,  hardly  had  he  realized  the  fact 
that  the  enemy  were  about  to  receive  reinforcements, 
when  a  number  of  dusky  figures  appeared,  while  a 
man  stepped  from  behind  a  huge  cotton  tree.  It  was 
the  half-caste,  James  Langdon,  saturnine  in  appear- 
ance, looking  thin  and  wan  after  his  long  residence 
with  the  Ashantis,  and  showing  on  his  ugly  features 
the  same  crafty  cunning  look  as  had  first  aroused  our 
hero's  suspicion  and  dislike.  He,  too,  bore  a  stake  in 
his  hand  and  held  it  poised  above  his  head.  With 
careful  eye  he  aimed  it  at  the  young  fellow  fighting 
by  the  bank  of  the  river;  then,  with  a  sudden  move- 
ment he  threw  it  as  if  it  were  a  spear,  and  with  such 
deadly  aim  that  it  struck  the  object  on  the  temple. 

Dick  fell  like  a  log.  Had  he  been  an  ox  that  had 
been  struck  a  true  blow  with  the  pole-axe  he  could  not 
have  fallen  more  swiftly.  One  instant  he  stood  there, 
breathing  hard,  and  whirling  his  club,  defiant  and  by 
no  means  conquered,  and  the  next  he  lay  an  inert  mass 
at  the  feet  of  the  rascal  who  had  decoyed  him  up  the 
river. 

"A  fine  shot !"  shouted  the  half-caste.  "On  to  him, 
and  make  his  hands  and  feet  fast.  Now  a  pole,  and 
we  will  carry  him.  Later,  when  he  has  recovered,  he 
shall  drag  his  own  body  to  Kumasi  for  the  sacrifice." 

He  stood  by  with  every  sign  of  satisfaction  as  the 
natives  obeyed  his  orders,  and  smiled  his  cruel  smile 


A  Well-laid  Scheme  293 

as  the  last  of  the  lashiiii^s  were  c-iiiipleteil.  By  this 
time  a  pole  had  been  slashed  from  the  underwood,  and 
with  a  refinement  of  cruelty  for  which  this  race  are 
known,  the  Ashantis  thrust  the  pole  between  Dick's 
feet  and  hands,  which  were  held  together  by  the  lash- 
ings, and  prepared  to  carr)-  him  away  suspended  in 
that  fashion. 

"We  will  look  at  these  comrades  of  ours,"  said  James 
Langdon,  as  they  turned  to  depart.  "Ah,  our  friend, 
the  white  fool,  struck  true  and  well.  The  man  is 
stunned.  It  will  be  hours  before  he  recovers.  Who 
will  wait  with  him?" 

"And  risk  the  coming  of  this  man's  friends?  Xone 
of  us,"  came  the  answer.  "Let  him  lie,  and  if  he  es- 
capes, then  he  is  fortunate.  Besides,  he  has  comrades 
to  keep  him  company." 

lie  pointed  to  three  others  who  had  been  struck  down 
bv  the  stake,  and  at  once  the  half-caste  bent  over 
them. 

"Thev  are  all  hit  badly,  but  will  regain  their  senses, 
I  think."  he  said  calmly.  "Well,  let  them  lie  there 
and  recover  while  we  push  on.  What  of  this  one. 
though  ?" 

"bead!"  replied  the  man  who  had  answered  his  first 
question.  "I  saw  him  thrown  against  the  tree,  and 
heard  the  crash.  His  back  is  broken  and  also  his  head. 
He  will  never  recover." 

"Then  fling  him  into  the  river  and  let  us  Ik?  going. 
After  all.  he  played  for  a  stake,  and  would  have  had 
the  bulk  of  the  reward  for  this  fool's  capture.  But  he 
bungled  it.  His  fingers  should  have  gripped  the  neck, 
for  then  they  could  not  have  been  so  easily  grasped. 


2  94    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

It  is  a  lesson  to  us  all.  Fling  him  in  and  pick  up  your 
burden." 

None  of  the  men  seemed  to  think  that  there  was 
anything  remarkably  inhuman  in  their  action,  for  to 
these  Ashantis  human  life  was  very  cheap  indeed,  and 
kindness  and  mercy  almost  unknown  qualities.  While 
a  man  was  alive  and  possessed  of  full  strength  he  was 
a  comrade  to  be  respected,  for  he  could  take  care  of 
himself.  Dead,  however,  or  badly  injured,  he  was  a 
nuisance,  a  positive  burden,  to  be  rid  of  at  the  first 
moment ;  to  be  robbed  and  deserted,  or  to  be  flung  into 
the  nearest  stream  like  a  dog.  Without  a  thought, 
therefore,  they  picked  up  the  man  who  had  played  his 
part  so  well  and  flung  him  with  a  loud  splash  into  the 
stagnant  stream.  Then,  without  a  second  look  at  their 
unconscious  fellows,  they  turned,  picked  up  the  pole, 
and  went  off  through  the  forest  in  the  wake  of  James 
Langdon. 

When  Dick  regained  his  senses  an  hour  later  his 
first  feeling  was  one  of  extreme  anguish  in  both  hands 
and  feet,  and  very  soon  the  pain  caused  his  scattered 
wits  to  return,  and  led  him  to  discover  the  cause  of  his 
trouble.  He  was  suffering  tortures,  so  much  so  that 
the  agony  swamped  all  thought  of  his  miserable  con- 
dition as  a  captive.  He  struggled,  and  begged  to  be 
set  down. 

"Cut  his  legs  adrift,  then,"  said  James  Langdon, 
brutally.  "Now  place  him  on  his  feet  and  make  a 
creeper  fast  to  his  hands.  Better  still,  lash  them  be- 
hind his  back  instead  of  in  front ;  then  two  of  you  can 
hold  the  end  of  the  creeper." 

They  threw  their  prisoner  on  the  ground  and  cut 


A  Well-laid  Scheme  295 

both  lashings.  Then  they  swung  him  over  on  to  his 
face  and  tied  his  hands  behind,  making  a  long  creeper 
fast  to  the  lashing.  .\  moment  later  they  picked 
him  up  and  placed  him  on  his  feet.  He  stag- 
gered and  fell  at  once,  his  limbs  doubling  up  beneath 
him. 

"He  won't  stand,  then!"  cried  the  half-caste,  his 
cruel  nature  delighted  at  the  sight  of  so  much  suffer- 
ing, and  at  the  plight  in  which  he  saw  the  son  of  his 
old  employer.  "Set  him  up  again  and  hold  him  there. 
I  will  thrash  him  till  he  changes  his  tune  and  agrees  to 
make  good  use  of  his  legs." 

There  was  no  haste  about  this  ruffian.  He  drew  a 
sheath  knife  and  went  in  search  of  a  knotted  vine, 
returning  with  it.  still  plying  his  blade  and  paring  off 
the  small  branches  attached  to  it.  Then  he  took  his 
post  behind  his  prisoner. 

"Raise  him.  and  stand  well  aside."  he  cried,  with  a 
gay  laugh.  "Xow  we  will  see  h'>w  long  it  takes  us  to 
persuade  him." 

Could  the  prisoner  have  freed  liis  hands  at  that 
moment  and  managed  to  reach  his  tormentor,  he  would 
have  taken  such  a  grip  of  his  throat  that  James  Lang- 
don's  villainy  would  have  been  summarily  ended  for  all 
time.  Dick  felt  the  cruel  sting  of  the  lashes  as  they 
fell  upon  his  back,  across  his  face,  and  on  his  legs  and 
shoulders.  But  his  indignation  and  rage  at  such  cow- 
ardly and  dastardly  treatment  helped  to  ease  the  pain. 
He  clenched  his  fingers,  closed  his  lips  firmly,  and  when 
he  could  fixed  his  ga^e  upon  the  ruffian  who  belaboured 
him.  Then,  gradually,  as  the  man  tired  and  his  blows 
lost  power,  and  as  the  circulation  returned  to  the  pris- 


296    With  Wolseley  to  KumasI 

oner's  legs,  he  gained  sufficient  strength  to  stand,  and 
then  to  hobble. 

"See  what  a  good  healer  I  am,"  laughed  the  half- 
caste.  "Others  would  have  rubbed  his  legs  and  feet. 
I  use  my  whip  to  his  back,  and  the  sulky  dog  is  roused. 
He  finds  that  it  will  be  as  well  to  walk  and  do  as  he  is 
bid." 

"And  he  will  find  it  in  him  to  punish  such  an  act 
when  the  time  comes,"  gasped  Dick.  "I  do  not 
threaten,  James  Langdon,  thief  and  ruffian.  I  give 
you  due  warning,  ^^'hen  the  time  comes,  I  will  shoot 
you  as  if  you  were  a  wild  beast,  without  notice  and 
without  mercy.  Vermin  such  as  you  are  do  not  de- 
serve ordinary  treatment." 

For  a  few  seconds  the  half-caste  was  taken  aback, 
for  at  heart  he  was  an  arrant  coward,  and  the  mere 
mention  of  what  might  happen  to  him  was  sufficient 
to  shake  his  nerve.  But  he  had  the  game  in  his  own 
hands  now,  he  flattered  himself.  This  time  the  youth 
at  whose  door  he  laid  all  his  troubles,  the  need  which 
drove  him  to  live  this  life  in  the  jungle,  the  fever  which 
racked  him,  and  a  hundred  other  evils,  was  securely 
bound,  a  prisoner,  from  whom  no  danger  was  to  be 
apprehended.  His  words  were  harmless.  He  was  as 
helpless  as  a  new-bom  babe. 

"When  the  time  comes  I  shall  be  prepared,"  he  said, 
with  a  laugh  which  he  vainly  endeavoured  to  make  easy 
and  light.  "For  the  present  we  will  advance,  and 
leave  threats  and  chatter  till  later.  Advance,  and  beat 
the  dog  if  he  shows  signs  of  lagging." 

Had  the  Ashanti  warriors  who  helped  in  the  capture 
and  who  now  formed  the  escort  had  even  hearts  of 


niCK    FKI.T  TMK  CRl-KI.   SIINC.   OK  THE   I-ASHES" 


A    W'cll-Liid    Scheme         297 

stone  they  would  iiave  pitied  their  i)ri>"iier.  The  very 
fact  that  lie  had  made  a  very  gaUaiit  and  deteniiiued 
tight  for  freedom  would  have  aroused  their  enthusiasm 
and  respect.  But  these  men  of  Kumasi  had  long  since 
had  all  such  feelings  driven  from  their  breasts.  The 
constant  succession  of  cruelties  of  the  most  frightful 
nature  perpetrated  at  Kumasi  had  hardenetl  them  to 
all  human  feeling  and  misery.  They  had.  ever)'  one 
of  them,  from  the  time  when  they  were  mere  children, 
been  daily  witnes.<:es  of  executions,  of  unmeaning  and 
ferocious  tortures,  and  of  endless  bloodshed.  Mercy 
they  had  never  encountered.  There  was  but  one  punish- 
ment for  prisoners  and  evil-doers  alike,  for  the  thief, 
the  murderer,  and  those  whose  cruel  fate  had  caused 
them  to  l)e  born  in  slavery.  The  executioners  stretched 
out  their  greedy  and  remorseless  hands  for  all.  and 
who  could  say  when  their  turn  would  come?  Was  it 
remarkable,  therefore,  that  these  men  marched  on  be- 
fore and  behind  their  prisoner,  belabouring  him  when 
his  steps  flagged,  and  shouting  oaths  at  him?  And  so, 
in  this  sorry  plight,  his  feet  tingling  still,  while  his 
hands  felt  as  if  the  skin  would  burst,  so  tight  were  the 
lashings.  Dick  was  hurried  on  through  the  dark  and 
sombre  forest  out  to  the  clearing  and  to  the  site  where 
had  stood  the  mine  stockade.  There,  as  the  procession 
halted,  he  threw  himself  on  the  ground  in  an  exhausted 
condition,  wishing  almost  that  he  might  die.  His 
tliirst  v.as  now  unbearable,  while  his  head  throblied 
and  ached  from  the  blow  he  had  received.  Xo  won- 
der, too,  if  he  were  apathetic,  if  his  fate  were  now  a 
matter  of  little  concern  to  him :  for  his  present  miseries 
overshadowed  all  else. 


298    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

"Give  him  some  water,  and  put  him  in  the  shade," 
ordered  the  half-caste.  "Two  of  you  stand  over  him 
with  your  guns,  and  if  he  moves  thrash  him  with  the 
vine.  We  will  teach  him  how  to  behave  while  he  is  in 
our  hands." 

He  glared  at  his  prisoner,  who  took  not  the  slightest 
notice  of  him.  But  as  soon  as  the  water  was  brought 
Dick  drank  it  greedily,  for  he  was  parched.  Then  he 
lay  down,  his  hands  still  secured  behind  his  back,  and 
very  soon,  utterly  wearied  by  his  night's  work,  and 
by  his  struggle  with  the  enemy,  he  fell  fast  asleep,  en- 
joying a  dreamless  rest  which  was  of  the  greatest  serv- 
ice to  him. 

What  would  have  been  the  feelings  of  those  gallant 
souls  away  down  the  river  had  they  known  of  the 
treachery  to  w^iich  their  young  leader  had  fallen  a 
victim !  Had  they  but  guessed  that  the  fleeing  native 
was  only  part  of  a  clever  plan,  laboriously  thought  out 
by  the  half-caste  robber  whose  thefts  had  driven  him 
to  take  to  the  forests,  and  wdio,  like  so  many  of  those 
who  have  wronged  the  man  whose  salt  they  have  eaten, 
had  turned  all  his  hate  and  vengeance  upon  that  man 
or  his  representative !  But  how  could  they  guess  ?  It 
had  all  been  so  real.  The  native  boat  appearing  at 
dawn,  with  a  shouting  mob  in  full  pursuit,  as  if  the 
light  had  only  then  enabled  them  to  discover  the  run- 
away. Their  shots,  falling  recklessly  about  the  boat, 
and  the  desperate  haste  of  the  native  himself,  his 
wound  and  his  apparent  exhaustion,  had  all  aided  in 
misleading  the  crew  of  the  launch.  They  never  imag- 
ined that  their  presence  in  the  river  had  been  instantly 
detected,  and  that  when  they  lay  to  for  the  night,  their 


A  Well-laid  Scheme  299 

exact  whereabouts  had  come  to  the  cars  of  James  Lang- 
don  and  his  roving  band  of  free-booters.  But  that  was 
w  hat  had  happened. 

The  half-caste  had  learned  that  Dick  Stapleton  had 
formerly  come  up  the  river,  and  had  been  taken  back  to 
the  sea  owing  to  an  attack  of  fever.  His  spies,  of 
whom  there  were  many  on  the  coast,  had  told  him  how 
the  young  fellow  fared,  and  had  sent  news  as  soon  as 
preparations  for  another  expedition  with  the  launch 
had  been  commenced.  Then  he  had  hatched  his  plot 
to  trap  his  master's  son.  and  with  fiendish  ingenuity 
had  relied  upon  the  gallantry  of  his  dupe  to  lead  him 
into  the  net.  What  was  easier  than  for  this  man,  ac- 
customed to  clerical  duties,  and.  as  it  chanced,  acquaint- 
ed with  Meinheer,  to  scrawl  a  fe.v  letters  on  a  piece  of 
linen,  and  sign  the  Dutchman's  name?  for  he  knew 
well  that  the  fraud  in  the  signature  would  never  be  de- 
tected. It  was  a  well-planned  plot,  and  had  succeeded 
only  too  well,  though  the  victim  had  made  a  hard  fight 
for  his  liberty  and  had  given  unexpected  trouble. 

And  so  while  Dick  lay  there  in  the  shade,  fast  asleep, 
the  crew  of  the  launch  dozed  the  hours  away,  knowing 
well  that  they  could  not  look  for  his  return  till  late  the 
following  night. 

Some  few  hours  after  Dick  had  fallen  asleep  he  was 
kicked  and  ordered  to  stand  up. 

"We  start  f(jr  Kumasi."  said  James  Langdon.  with 
a  leer,  "for  the  seat  of  the  great  King  KufTee.  There 
is  a  prospect  before  you,  young  man,  and  you  will  have 
time  to  think  alx^ut  it.  Make  sure  of  him."  he  went 
on.  turning  to  his  followers,  "for  the  cajnive  is  no 
longer  mine.     He  belongs  to  the  King,  and  it  will  l^e 


300    With  Wolseley  to  KumasI 

a  bad  day's  work  for  the  one  whose  carelessness  results 
in  his  escape.  Now,  march  on,  and  let  us  push  the 
pace." 

Three  days  later  the  procession  marched  into  the 
town  of  Kumasi,  their  prisoner  still  in  their  midst, 
footsore  and  weary,  but  with  courage  undaunted.  They 
passed  at  once  along  the  principal  street,  and  Dick  was 
astonished  to  find  that  it  was  very  wide,  that  neat  huts 
stood  in  an  orderly  line  on  either  side,  and  that  trees 
grew  here  and  there,  offering  a  welcome  shade.  The 
thousands  who  came  to  stare  and  mock  at  him  seemed 
neat  and  tidy,  though  they  boasted  little  clothing,  while 
the  whole  air  of  the  town  was  one  of  prosperity  and 
orderliness.  But  there  was  one  huge  drawback,  w^hich 
attracted  the  prisoner's  attention  the  instant  he  set  foot 
in  Kumasi,  indeed,  even  before  he  reached  the  town. 
Where  there  should  have  been  the  pleasantest  of  breezes 
there  was  the  most  ghastly  and  nauseating  odour  of 
dead  men,  and  as  the  procession  advanced  the  cause  of 
this  became  more  and  more  apparent.  For  Kumasi 
was  like  a  charnel  house.  The  bodies  of  the  hundreds 
of  poor  wretches  who  were  slain  were  simply  thrown 
into  the  nearest  stagnant  stream,  or  were  piled  in  a 
narrow  grove,  the  fetish  grove,  adjacent  to  the  house 
of  execution.  In  truth,  the  smell  of  blood  was  every- 
where, and  on  every  hand  dark  stains  told  of  its  pres- 
ence. No  wonder  that  he  shuddered,  while  his  courage 
began  to  evaporate. 

"How  awful !"  he  thought.  "The  place  makes  one 
feel  deadly  sick,  and  the  sights  on  either  side  are  shock- 
ing. If  that  is  to  be  the  end,  then  the  sooner  the  bet- 
ter.    But  I  am  not  done  yet.     I  will  have  a  try  for 


A  Well-laid  Scheme  301 

freedom,  and  it  may  be  that  1  shall  succeed.  To  think 
1  have  been  made  a  fool  of,  and  that  letter  was  a 
forgery.     I'uor  old  Meinheer  is  dead  after  all." 

Even  in  the  depths  of  his  misery  he  could  think  un- 
selfishly of  others,  of  the  unfortunate  Dutchman  whose 
name  had  been  sufficient  to  bring  his  young  agent  to 
this  plight.  A  moment  later  his  thoughts  were  inter- 
rupted by  James  Langdon. 

"The  lions  have  had  a  good  view  of  him,"  he 
laughed,  as  he  nodded  to  the  crowd,  w  ho  evidently  held 
the  half-caste  in  some  awe.  'Tn  a  little  while  he  shall 
afford  them  more  sport,  and  they  shall  see  what  sort 
of  a  captive  I  have  brought  them.  Pack  him  into  the 
hut  here,  next  to  mine,  and  watch  him  while  I  go  to 
the  King.  My  servant  will  see  to  his  food.  Cut  his 
lashings  and  bundle  him  in." 

A  man  produced  his  sword,  and  the  lashings  were 
cut.  Then,  with  the  smallest  ceremony,  Dick  was 
bundled  into  the  hut.  a  one-roomed  erection,  smelling 
evilly,  and  almost  devoid  of  light.  But  it  was  his  for 
the  moment,  and  he  revelled  in  the  opportunity  it  gave 
him  to  be  alone.  He  sat  down  in  one  corner,  feeling 
weary  and  sore  from  head  to  foot,  while  the  evil  smell 
of  the  place  made  him  horribly  sick.  He  was  faint 
and  giddy,  and  when  at  length  the  food  was  brought 
which  was  to  be  h\<  evening  meal,  he  pushed  it  from 
him. 

He  was  down  again  with  fever.  No  white  man  can 
live  in  the  heart  of  the  Ashanti  forests,  particularly  on^ 
the  river,  without  subjecting  himself  to  the  risk  of 
incessant  fever  attacks,  and  once  the  malady  has  l)een 
gained,   the  paroxysms  are  apt  to  recur  very  often. 


302    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

Hardship,  privation  and  excitement  generally  are  suffi- 
cient to  cause  them  to  return,  and  it  is  therefore  not 
wonderful  to  have  to  record  that  Dick  Stapleton  was 
again  a  victim.  His  teeth  chattered,  he  was  miserably 
cold  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  the  temperature  in  this 
stuffy  hut  was  almost  unbearable,  and  he  had  no  appe- 
tite. Indeed,  he  was  soon  semi-delirious,  and  it  was 
not  till  many  weeks  had  passed  that  he  was  himself 
again.  The  fever,  want  of  nursing,  unsatisfactory 
foods,  and  incarceration  in  the  hut  did  their  work  too 
thoroughly,  so  that  on  this  occasion  he  was  longer  in 
recovering.  And  when  he  was  stronger,  and  was 
allowed  to  step  from  the  hut,  it  was  to  find  Kumasi  in 
a  ferment,  to  discover  the  house  of  execution  fully 
occupied,  and  the  bodies  of  fresh  victims  everywhere. 
For  the  British  advance  had  begun.  Sir  Garnet 
Wolseley,  the  energetic  and  indefatigable  worker,  was 
already  on  the  way  to  the  capital  of  the  Ashantis,  with 
a  goodly  following  of  troops  behind  him. 


CHArTKR  XVTIT 
King  Koftcc,  the  Terrible 

Ku.MASi  was  in  an  uproar.  Tlie  long,  wide  street 
which  cut  through  the  heart  of  the  huge  town  was 
aHve  with  Ashanti  warriors,  and  with  shrieking  women 
and  children.  There  was  consternation  on  every  face, 
and  fierce  anger  at  the  news  which  had  just  come  from 
the  river  Frahsu. 

"Your  soldiers  have  bridged  the  river  and  are  about 
to  advance,"  growled  James  Langdon,  as  he  threw 
the  door  of  the  prison  hut  open  and  accosted  Dick. 
"These  fools  here  think  that  their  fetish  will  prevail 
and  keep  the  British  back.  I  know  better,  for  I  have 
seen  British  troops.  They  will  reach  this  place,  and 
perhaps  give  it  to  the  fiames.  Then  they  will  retire, 
and  as  they  go  we  shall  fall  upon  them  and  cut  them 
to  pieces.  You  need  not  think  that  they  will  find  you 
here.  You  are  a  marked  man,  and.  at  the  last,  when 
the  advance  still  lakes  place,  the  Ashantis  will  offer 
you  to  their  fetish  in  the  hope  that  your  sacrifice  will 
arrest  the  enemy.  It  would  have  been  better  for  you, 
Dick  Staplcton,  had  you  never  interfered  with  mc." 

"And  by  the  look  of  you,  it  would  have  l)ecn  easier 
for  you  had  you  hanged  yourself  weeks  ago,"  answered 

303 


304    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

our  hero,  calmly,  and  with  a  smile  which  made  his 
captor  writhe.  "You  look  as  though  you  were  haunt- 
ed, and  I  think  that  you  must  have  had  a  very  miser- 
able time  since  you  left  the  coast.  You  are  a  traitor 
and  a  murderer,  and  you  are  bound  to  be  caught  and 
punished." 

"Not  if  I  rejoin  the  British.  What  if  I  set  you  and 
the  other  Europeans  free!  Would  you  obtain  a  par- 
don?" 

Dick  emphatically  shook  his  head,  for  he  mistrusted 
this  man.  More  than  that,  he  was  wise  enough  to 
know  that  even  though  James  Langdon  might  desire 
to  do  as  he  said,  the  Ashantis  would  never  permit  such 
action.  A  glance  at  the  face  of  the  half-caste  was 
sufficient  to  show  that  he  was  ill  at  ease.  Matters 
were  beginning  to  look  serious  for  King  Koffee  and 
his  people,  and  the  very  sight  of  this  half-caste,  who 
had  urged  them  to  action  and  to  resistance,  angered 
them.  They  had  lost  faith  in  him,  and  James  Langdon 
knew  that  at  any  time  the  King's  favour  might  be 
withdrawn  and  he  himself  fall  a  victim.  He  turned 
away  with  an  oath.  Then  he  called  for  the  guard 
which  kept  watch  over  the  house,  and  gave  an  order. 
At  once  Dick  was  bound  and  led  off  down  the  street, 
and  having  reached  a  wide  open  space,  close  to  the  hor- 
rible fetish  grove,  he  was  brought  to  a  halt  within  a 
few  paces  of  the  enormous  sacrificial  bowl,  with  its  legs 
in  the  form  of  crouching  lions,  on  the  edge  of  which  the 
Ashantis  were  wont  to  slay  their  victims.  Never  in 
all  his  life  had  he  seen  such  a  hideous  sight. 

"Terrible !  terrible !"  he  murmured.  "To  think  that 
men  could  be  such  brutes !     It  is  horrible !" 


King  Koficc,  the    I'crribic     305 

He  closed  his  eyes  fur  a  little  while,  and  then  opened 
them  again  as  there  was  a  coniniotion.  Then,  indeed, 
he  gave  a  start,  for  four  white  men  were  slowly  led 
into  the  arena,  all  strangers  to  him,  and  all  miserahlc 
prisoners  like  himself.  They  looked  at  him  sharply, 
and  one  of  them  called  out  a  greeting. 

"Sorry  to  see  you  here,"  he  said,  with  a  foreign 
accent.     "How  long  have  you  been  a  i)risoner?" 

"About  six  weeks.     And  you?"' 

"A  year  perhaps.  W'e  had  hoped  to  be  freed  by  the 
payment  of  a  ransom.  Now  I  suppose  we  must  wait 
for  the  troops  if  these  brutes  will  allow  us.  There  is 
never  any  saying  what  they  may  do.  To-day  there 
will  be  a  great  sacritlce,  and  we  are  always  dragged 
here  to  witness  the  awful  scene.     What  news?" 

He  asked  the  question  eagerly,  and  in  a  few  words 
Dick  narrated  how  Sir  Garnet  had  landed  and  com- 
menced operations,  and  how  by  now  the  troops  must 
be  at  the  coast  and  probably  on  the  march  up. 

"Then  that  accounts  for  this  Initchery.  They  are 
trying  to  stop  the  advance,  and  these  poor  people  have 
to  suffer.  Shut  your  eyes  as  long  as  you  can.  my  lad. 
Tm  hardened." 

But  Dick  could  not.  He  looked  on  with  dilated 
eyes  and  shuddered,  for  the  next  three  hours  were 
indeed  too  horrible  to  relate.  Some  hundreds  of 
wretched  slaves  and  prisoners  were  ruthlessly  slaugh- 
tered, while  the  mob  looked  on,  gloating.  But  hap- 
pily for  the  white  prisoners,  there  was  little  noise,  only 
an  occasional  shriek  from  some  waiting  victim.  The 
poor  wretches  were  led  to  the  bowl,  aiul  knives  were 
thrust  through  their  cheeks  so  that  they  could  nut  utter 


3o6    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

a  sound.  Then  their  heads  were  forced  over  the  edge 
of  the  bowl,  and  with  a  sweep  of  the  sacrificial  knife 
they  were  decapitated. 

"It's  done  with  for  to-day,"  at  last  said  the  prisoner 
who  had  spoken  before,  addressing  Dick,  wearily.  "A 
few  score  more  of  these  poor  people  have  been  killed — 
men,  women  and  children,  and  now  the  last  test  of  all 
has  been  carried  out.  The  fetish  priests  have  said  that 
if  men  who  are  tied  up  in  the  forest  and  left  alone  die 
quickly,  the  Ashantis  will  be  victorious.  If  they  live 
for  many  days  the  British  will  succeed.  They  have 
put  knives  through  the  cheeks  of  two  of  the  captives 
and  have  led  them  away.  It's  all  very  horrible  and 
very  terrible.  But  never  fear,  things  may  come  right 
yet.  By  the  way,  who  is  that  sallow  dog  who  fights 
with  the  Ashantis  and  advises  them?  See  him  there. 
He  is  watching  and  listening." 

Dick  did  not  answer,  for  James  Langdon  suddenly 
emerged  from  the  crowd,  where  he  had  hidden  himself 
the  better  to  watch  his  prisoner.  Now,  however,  he 
came  forward  at  a  run.  and  stood  in  front  of  the  man 
who  had  spoken. 

"Sallow  dog,  you  call  me,"  he  cried  angrily.  "I 
will  tell  you  who  I  am.  I  am  the  one  who  has  so  far 
kept  you  white  men  alive,  and  to  me  you  may  look  for 
the  order  which  will  bring  you  here  again  for  execu- 
tion.    That  is  your  answer." 

He  scowled  at  the  prisoner  and  then  went  off,  giving 
an  order  as  he  left  the  arena.  At  once  the  guards 
closed  round  the  prisoners,  and  all  were  marched  away, 
Dick  being  taken  back  and  flung  into  his  hut.  He  sat 
down  at  once  w^ith  his  back  to  the  wall,  and  his  eyes 


King  KofTcc,  the  Terrible     307 

fixed  on  the  door,  and  for  an  liour  he  hardly  stirred  a 
finger.  Xow  and  again  his  eyes  moved  a  httle.  as  the 
light  which  streamed  beneath  the  door  altered,  and 
the  shadow  of  a  passing  man  crossed  it.  Otherwise  he 
allowed  nothing  to  disturb  his  thoughts. 

"I  will  do  it,"  he  said  at  last,  rising  to  his  feet  and 
pacing  up  and  down.  "I  am  strong  now,  and  once 
away  I  can  live  in  the  forest  with  ease,  for  there  are 
plantains  everywhere.  I  will  make  an  attempt  this 
very  night,  and  if  1  fail,  well  it  will  only  hasten  my 
death  by  a  very  few  hours." 
"Food  and  water.     Take  it!" 

The  door  was  thrown  open  by  the  man  appointed  to 
feed  the  captive,  and  a  bundle  of  plantains  tossed  into 
the  hut.  An  earthen  pot  containing  water  was  set 
down  just  inside  the  hut.  and  then  the  d(X)r  was 
slammed,  for  the  man  was  in  a  hurry.  Like  all  the 
inhabitants  of  Kumasi.  he  was  eager  to  go  into  the 
forest  to  watch  the  poor  wretches  tied  up  there,  and  to 
listen  to  news  of  the  invaders.  The  guards  also,  two 
of  whom  were  set  to  watch  tiic  hut.  had  their  atten- 
tion distracted  on  this  day.  for  as  Dick  peered  through 
the  crevices  in  the  door  he  could  see  them  gossiping 
with  the  passers-by.  and  straying  far  from  the  hut. 
When  darkness  fell  the  town  was  still  in  a  state  of 
agitation,  for  further  news  had  come  of  a  British  vic- 
tory, and  the  watch  on  the  hut  was  even  more  careless. 
But  the  Ashantis  had  not  entirely  forgotten  their  pris- 
oner, as  Dick  sa^n  discovered.  For  as  he  lojked  out 
into  the  wide  street,  watchitig  the  numerous  almost 
nude  figures  seated  about  the  fires,  and  the  warriors 
passing  to  and  fro,  a  gentle  grating  on  the  far  side  of 


3o8    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

the  door  warned  him  that  he  might  expect  a  visitor. 
As  quick  as  a  flash  he  crossed  the  floor  and  sank  to  the 
ground  on  the  far  side,  where  he  feigned  to  be  asleep. 
He  had  hardly  gained  this  position  when  the  door  was 
burst  open,  and  two  men  entered,  the  second  bearing  a 
torch. 

"Gone !  He  has  escaped !  Those  dogs  have  let  him 
go!     Ah,  no!     He  is  here!" 

The  half-caste  clenched  his  hands,  and  turned 
furiously  upon  the  native  bearing  the  torch,  for  as  he 
entered,  the  half  light  cast  by  the  flame  had  illuminated 
only  a  portion  of  the  hut,  and  he  imagined  that  the 
prisoner  had  gone.  Then  he  caught  sight  of  his  fig- 
ure in  the  corner,  and  heaved  a  sigh  of  relief. 

"Safe!"  he  exclaimed,  with  a  growl  of  satisfaction. 
"Not  escaped.  That  is  good.  Have  we  disturbed 
your  sleep  ?" 

Dick  looked  up  wearily,  blinking  at  the  light,  and 
then  seeing  who  it  was,  and  pretending  that  he  had 
only  just  discovered  the  presence  of  his  enemy,  he 
rolled  over  again,  treating  him  with  scorn  and  silence, 
as  was  his  custom. 

For  a  little  while  the  half-caste  and  his  attendant 
stared  at  him  thoughtfully,  then  they  turned  and  left 
the  hut. 

"I  felt  ill  at  ease,"  Dick  heard  James  Langdon  mut- 
ter; "I  fancied  that  he  had  escaped,  and  I  came  to  see 
for  myself.  I  can  sleep  peacefully  now  if  I  do  not 
dream  of  these  British." 

He  clenched  his  hands  again  as  he  moved  away,  and 
Dick  heard  him  muttering  still  as  the  door  was 
slammed.     Then  came  the  sound  of  his  steps,  a  fierce 


King  Koffcc,  the  Terrible    309 

kick  as  he  pushed  open  the  door  of  his  own  abode,  and 
a  sharp  crash  as  he  swung-  it  to  again. 

"Sick  an(.l  weary."  thought  Dick.  "His  conscience 
is  hurling  him,  or  rather.  perhaj)s.  he  begins  to  feel  the 
net  ckising  round  him.  W'e  shall  see.  I  gave  him 
due  warning,  and  if  the  time  comes  I  will  kill  him  as  if 
he  were  a  tly.     X«jw  for  business." 

He  rose  stealthily  to  his  feet  and  went  to  the  door, 
where  he  remained  for  some  minutes  staring  out  into 
the  street,  and  taking  note  of  the  position  of  his  guards. 
Then  he  went  in  succession  to  some  half-dozen  tiny 
peep-holes,  which  he  had  diligently  Ixjred  through  the 
wattle  wall  of  the  hut. 

"All  clear."  he  said,  with  a  satisfied  chuckle.  "It's 
quite  dark  now,  and  as  these  people  go  to  bed  early  the 
place  will  soon  be  (juiet.  I'll  give  the  guards  a  little 
time  t')  settle  down  and  then  I'll  move.  This  is  the 
side  for  operations." 

He  went  to  the  wall  which  faced  the  hut  in  which 
dwelt  the  half-caste  and  set  to  work  upon  it.  Slipping 
his  hand  into  his  sleeve,  he  produced  an  angular  piece 
of  iron,  a  fragment  of  a  cooking-pot  which  he  had 
picked  up  in  a  cirncr  of  the  hut.  Many  an  hour  had 
he  spent  in  sharpening  an  edge  of  the  fragment  upon 
a  stone  dug  up  from  the  dried  mud  fl<x>r.  and  now  it 
was  as  keen  as  a  razor.  Holding  it  firmly  in  his  hand, 
he  swept  it  slowly  and  in  a  circle  over  the  wattle  wall, 
his  fingers  following  the  cut.  Then  he  repeated  the 
process,  very  slowly  and  very  carefully,  severing  the 
stems  one  by  one.  Like  all  the  habitations  in  Kumasi, 
the  prison  in  which  he  was  incarcerated  was  built  of 
wattle,   woven  roughly  together,  and  plastered   with 


310    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

mud  to  fill  the  interstices.  Thus  when  he  had  con- 
trived to  cut  through  the  stems  a  large  piece  of  the 
wall  was  freed,  with  the  mud  still  clinging  to  it.  Dick 
swung  it  open  very  slowly  and  peeped  out.  Then  he 
replaced  the  section,  and  once  more  went  the  round  of 
the  hut,  peering  in  all  directions.  Not  a  soul  was  mov- 
ing, and  even  the  guards  had  thrown  themselves  down, 
beside  the  log  fire  disconsolately,  for  the  news  received 
that  day  was  most  disheartening. 

"Not  time  to  move  yet,"  he  thought.  "They  look 
quiet  enough,  but  they  are  not  sleepy.  I'll  wait  a  lit- 
tle, and  then  we'll  see  what  happens." 

An  hour  later  he  swung  the  section  open  and  stared 
out.  Then  he  squeezed  through  the  opening  and  threw 
himself  flat  on  the  ground.  Wriggling  a  few  inches 
along  beside  the  hut  he  soon  obtained  an  unobstructed 
view  of  the  street,  and  could  see  the  twinkle  of  the 
dying  embers,  with,  here  and  there,  a  figure  crouching 
over  them.  There  were  the  guards,  too,  drowsing 
near  one  of  the  fires,  their  weapons  dangling  beside 
them.  A  dog  barked  in  the  distance,  and  for  a  little 
while  a  number  of  the  curs  which  infested  the  streets 
of  the  horrible  town  set  up  a  chorus  of  responsive 
howls,  which  were  more  than  disconcerting.  One  of 
the  guards  stirred,  while  a  man  who  had  been  crouch- 
ing over  one  of  the  distant  fires,  no  doubt  thinking  of 
the  fighting  in  prospect,  rose  and  sauntered  along  till  he 
arri\'ed  near  the  hut,  where  he  opened  up  a  conversa- 
tion on  the  same  old  subject. 

"They  are  at  the  Prahsu,  these  white  dogs,"  he  said. 
"What  will  be  our  fortune  now?  What  think  you, 
comrade?" 


King  Koficc,  the  Terrible     3  1  i 

"How  shcniKl  I  kimw  nr  l)c  alile  to  g-ucss?"  was  the 
sulky  answer.  "Go  to  our  fetish  men.  Or  Ijetter,  be 
patient  for  a  Httle.  There  are  tlie  dog^s  whom  we  have 
bound  out  in  the  forest.  If  they  die  to-morrow  we 
con(|uer.     If  not "' 

'*\\'e  die.  We  shall  tlo  that.  Listen  to  one  of  them 
groannig.     Is  that  the  call  of  a  dying  man?" 

He  held  up  his  hand  anil  pointed  across  the  street, 
and  away  across  the  enclosure  where  the  executions 
had  taken  place,  to  the  forest  beyond,  and  as  he  pointed 
there  came  the  call  of  a  man  in  pain,  strong  and  clear, 
and  full  of  power. 

Dick  shuddered,  while  the  guards  and  their  visitor 
became  suddenly  silent.  They  had  much  to  think 
about,  and  could  obtain  little  comfort  from  their  wise 
men  and  soothsayers.  The  auguries  were  all  against 
them.  Strange  things  were  happening.  The  tale  was 
abroad  that  a  child  had  just  been  born  who  was  able 
to  converse  fluently  immediately  after  its  birth.  Then 
some  falling  star  had  struck  the  town.  And  nmv.  the 
men  who  had  sat  so  patiently  at  the  c<5ast.  were  ad- 
vancing in  spite  of  sacrifices,  in  spite  of  a  liberal  shed- 
ding of  blood.  There  was  little  comfort  for  the 
Ashantis.  Talking  made  matters  worse.  It  was  bet- 
ter to  go  to  the  privacy  of  one's  own  hut  and  brcn^d 
alone  over  the  trouble. 

Dick  heard  the  stranger  bid  g(X>d-night.  Then  he 
watched  his  figure  disappearing.  A  minute  later  he 
was  on  his  feet,  creeping  across  the  dark  patch  of 
ground  intervening  between  his  i)rison  and  the  next 
habitation,  where  James  Langdon  dwelt. 

For  a  moment  we  must  leave  Dick,  while  we  turn 


312    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

to  the  leader  of  the  British  expedition  at  the  coast,  and 
see  what  arrangements  he  had  made  for  the  difficult 
task  before  him.  For  this  campaign  was  no  trifling 
affair.  It  was  not  an  ordinary  war,  wherein  battles 
of  great  importance  might  be  expected,  with  open  fields 
for  manceuvring,  but  a  conflict  wherein  our  troops  and 
their  leaders  would  have  to  engage  with  many  unex- 
pected difficulties,  and  meet  face  to  face  a  danger 
greater  than  that  offered  by  the  enemy.  It  was  bad 
enough  at  the  coast,  where  there  were  cool,  fresh 
breezes  on  occasion,  though  to  be  sure  the  place  had 
well  earned  its  name  of  "the  white  man's  grave,"  but 
up-country,  in  the  forest  and  jungle,  with  its  numerous 
swamps,  its  unhealthy  exhalations,  its  damp  heat,  and 
its  rotting  vegetation,  there  lurked  the  germs  of  fever, 
the  worst  form  of  ague,  that  fell  disease  which  has 
slain  so  many  men  of  our  race,  and  with  which  it  may 
be  rightly  said  our  scientists  are  only  now  becoming 
fully  acquainted.  Its  symptoms,  its  shivering  attacks, 
its  racking  fevers  they  know  well,  as  intimately  as  they 
can  be  known ;  as  also  the  fact  that  recurrences  take 
place,  that  many  a  man  long  since  returned  to  England 
has  attacks  of  jungle  fever,  or  whatever  he  may  care 
to  term  it.  But  the  method  of  transmission  of  this 
malady  to  human  beings  was  not  so  certain  a  matter, 
and  few  knew  then  rightly  how  to  battle  with  it.  It 
was,  in  fact,  the  enemy  to  be  contended  with,  and  had 
any  one  doubted  that,  he  had  only  to  ask  at  the  coast 
and  sum  up  the  number  of  men  and  officers  already 
placed  Jiors  de  combat  on  its  account.  This  was  first 
and  foremost  to  be  a  doctors'  war,  and  when  all  avail- 
able precautions  were  taken,   it  became  next  a  war 


King  Ivoffcc,  the  Terrible     313 

against  furesi  and  jungle,  and  tlie  f>jcs  who  nught  be 
lurking  there. 

To  reach  Kumasi  was  no  Hglit  undertaking,  even  it 
no  opposition  were  to  be  expected,  and  the  decision  to 
advance  upon  it  by  land  made  the  ditticully  all  the 
greater.  It  would  be  hard  to  say  who  was  responsible 
for  this,  though  it  would  seem  that  those  at  home, 
wholly  unacquainted  with  the  coast  perhaps,  were  al- 
lowed to  have  a  say  in  tlie  matter.  In  any  case  ma- 
terials were  sent  out  fur  erecting  a  light  railway,  and 
were  disembarked  at  great  cost  and  labour.  And  with 
what  result?  It  was  hard  enough  to  cleave  a  path 
thirty  inches  wide  through  the  jungle  and  forest,  let 
alone  one  of  five  feet ;  while  the  necessary  transport 
was  not  forthcoming.  And  so  the  railway  material 
lay  where  it  had  been  landed,  while  labourers  and  car- 
riers were  employed  from  amongst  the  natives,  hun- 
dreds of  whom  had  flocked  to  the  town  owing  to  the 
incursions  of  the  Ashantis.  Sappers  set  them  their 
tasks,  and  as  the  weeks  crept  on  a  path  was  hewn 
through  the  forest  in  a  direct  line  to  the  Prahsu. 
Sometimes  open  ground  relieved  the  labour,  and  here 
and  there  stations  were  formed,  and  food  and  ammuni- 
tion collected.  At  last  the  bend  of  the  river  was 
reached,  and  unhindered  by  the  enemy,  who  were  in 
the  vicinity,  the  sappers  bridged  it  and  laid  out  a  little 
town  for  the  accommodation  of  the  troops  and  the 
small  escort  sent  to  defend  this  advance  station.  Final- 
ly the  promised  troops  came,  and  the  advance  com- 
menced. Of  the  force  engaged  the  bulk  may  be  said 
to  have  i^een  British,  for  our  native  allies,  with  few 
exceptions,  proved  useless  cowards.     A  few  men  of  the 


314    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

Assim  tribe  made  excellent  scouts  under  Lord  Gifford, 
while  other  natives  did  like  service.  But  for  fighting 
the  majority  v^ere  hopeless,  and  very  rightly  no  de- 
pendence was  placed  upon  them.  Elsewhere,  operating 
from  another  quarter,  was  a  larger  force  of  more  re- 
liable natives,  from  the  Lagos  district,  close  to  Benim, 
under  command  of  Captain  Glover,  and  though  their 
actions  were  of  little  service,  a  small  portion  of  the 
force  was  to  be  heard  of  later.  They  were  operating 
on  the  Rio  Volta,  the  river  forming  the  boundary  be- 
tween the  Gold  and  Slave  Coasts. 

It  must  not  be  supposed  that  because  the  Ashantis, 
who  had  invaded  the  protectorate,  hesitated  to  interfere 
with  the  working  parties  hewing  a  road  to  the  Prahsu 
and  carrying  supplies  there,  they  did  not  come  into 
conflict  with  our  marines  and  bluejackets  who,  in  many 
cases,  formed  the  garrison  at  the  depots  which  had 
been  fomied.  Those  at  Dunquah,  a  place  some  twenty- 
odd  miles  from  the  coast,  had  a  smart  brush  with  the 
enemy,  while  at  Abracampa  a  huge  force  of  Ashantis, 
numbering  ten  thousand  at  least,  suddenly  surrounded 
the  post.  Like  so  many  of  the  others,  it  was  but  a 
native  village,  placed  in  a  small  natural  clearing,  and 
now  roughly  fortified.  The  garrison  was  a  very  slender 
one  indeed,  and  yet  in  spite  of  that  fact  they  held  the 
enemy  at  bay,  killing  very  many  of  them.  Time  and 
again  the  attacks  were  repeated,  till  at  length  rein- 
forcements arrived,  and  taking  the  enemy  unawares 
dispersed  them  with  great  slaughter.  In  the  enemy's 
camp  numerous  rifles,  guns,  umbrellas  and  w^ar-drums 
were  found,  besides  evidences  of  sacrifices.  In  fact, 
wherever  the  Ashantis  had  been,  grim  relics  were  left 


King  Koffcc,  tlic  Terrible     315 

behind,  all  of  which  only  added  to  the  keenness  t)f  our 
men  to  reach  Kumasi  and  put  a  stop  to  such  Ijarbarities. 

And  now  the  prospect  was  brighter.  The  secf^nd 
battalion  of  the  Rifle  Brig-ade  was  already  01  route, 
while  the  Welsh  Fusiliers  and  the  Black  Watch  were  a 
little  way  in  the  rear.  On  the  road  also  were  Royal 
Artillery,  Engineers,  Marines,  surgeons,  Commissariat 
officers,  and  war  correspondents,  amongst  the  last  the 
familiar  figure  of  G.  A.  Henty.  whose  name  must  be 
well  known  to  thousands  and  thousands  of  \yyys  and 
grown  men,  and  whose  active  brain  created  heri^es  in 
every  country  and  clime  under  the  sun. 

From  Cape  Coast  Castle  the  troops  marched  to 
Inquabin  as  a  first  stage,  and  from  there  through 
various  stations,  all  with  more  or  less  unpronounceable 
names,  till  they  came  finally  to  the  Prahsu,  sixty-nine 
miles  from  the  sea.  There  they  found  Sir  Garnet  com- 
pleting his  preparations  for  the  march  upon  Kumasi. 
The  troops  had  toiled  for  the  most  part  in  single  file 
along  the  narrow  forest  tracks,  and  they  knew  that 
the  same  work  was  before  them.  But  they  did  not 
know  what  their  leaders  had  taken  to  heart ;  that  the 
forest  on  the  far  side  of  the  river  might  and  probably 
did  hide  thousands  of  enemies,  and  that  that  tract 
must  be  crossed,  and  the  town  of  Kumasi  captured 
within  the  next  fortnight.  For  already  there  were  not 
wanting  signs  that  the  rains  were  alx)ut  to  commence, 
and  when  they  set  in  tracks  through  the  forests  would 
become  swamps  and  narrow  streams  great  swirling 
rivers.  Worse  than  all,  rain  and  wet  soon  play  havoc 
with  a  man,  and  in  a  fever-stricken  country,  such  as 
the  land  of  Ashanti.  predispose  to  an  immediate  attack. 


3i6    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

Having  dealt  with  the  movement  of  the  troops,  and 
shown  how  Sir  Garnet  and  his  men  had  dihgently 
pushed  forward  to  the  Prahsu,  and  had,  by  dint  of  bush 
fighting,  and  particularly  by  their  actions  at  Dunquah 
and  Abracampa,  driven  the  Ashantis  from  the  pro- 
tectorate, we  can  now  return  to  Kumasi. 

The  night  was  rather  dark,  but  fine.  Overhead  the 
stars  twinkled,  and  could  be  seen  through  the  leaves 
of  the  trees  which  lined  the  main  street.  One  tree 
grew  in  front  of  each  house  or  hut,  and  was  fetish  or 
sacred.  At  its  roots  were  placed  odd  bits  of  crockery, 
a  rough  doll-shaped  image,  and  other  objects,  all  re- 
garded as  fetish  and  likely  to  lull  the  anger  of  the 
mighty  fetish  which  kept  the  people  in  its  grip,  and 
which  held  sway  at  the  execution  house  and  temple  to 
which  Dick  had  been  led. 

"If  it  had  been  raining  it  would  have  been  better, 
perhaps,"  thought  the  escaping  prisoner.  "But  I  don't 
know.  All  depends  on  the  luck  I  have.  The  plan 
may  work  well,  and  our  friend  may  find  himself  caught 
in  a  net  of  my  weaving  this  time.  If  so,  then  I  shall 
not  mind  the  light  so  much.  Now  for  the  chance  to 
enter." 

He  had  crept  across  the  open  space  between  the  two 
huts,  and  was  now  close  against  the  wattle  wall  behind 
which  James  Langdon  was  sleeping.  As  he  lay  at 
full  length  Dick  could  hear  the  ruffian's  deep  breathing, 
and  when  a  few  minutes  had  passed  could  catch  his 
mutterings.  He  stirred,  and  Dick  heard  the  soft  bed 
of  palm-leaves,  upon  which  he  lay,  rustle  at  the  move- 
ment. But  our  hero  made  no  attempt  at  escape,  nor 
did  he  move  from  his  position.     He  waited,  as  calmly 


King  Koffee,  tlic  Terrible    317 

as  he  could,  though  it  was  hard  to  smother  his  excite- 
ment and  still  the  thumping  of  his  heart.  There  was 
so  much  to  be  attempted,  and  sucii  a  terrible  ordeal 
to  look  forward  to  if  he  failed.  Across  his  mind's 
eye  flashed  the  memory  of  that  awful  scene  close  to 
the  brass  sacrificial  bowl.  The  rows  of  intended  vic- 
tims, forced  to  look  on  at  the  sacrifice,  their  hunted 
looks,  and  the  agony  on  the  face  of  the  one  about  to  be 
sacrificed.  Then  there  was  the  mob,  with  the  warriors 
dancing  their  wild  dance  of  death  and  brandishing 
their  weapons;  while  in  the  background,  smug  and 
complacent,  like  Nero  of  old.  sat  King  Koffee.  tall  and 
fat,  nodding  a  sig"nal  when  the  moment  for  execution 
came.  For  half  an  hour,  as  Dick  crouched  in  the 
shadow,  the  memory  of  the  horrid  scene  flitted  contin- 
uously before  him.  Then  he  stood  up  suddenly  and 
clenched  his  hands  together. 

"I  won't  let  such  things  take  my  pluck  away."  he 
said  in  a  hoarse  whisper.  "I'll  think  of  the  friends  on 
the  river  and  at  the  coast.  This  brute  is  responsible 
for  all  my  miseries,  and  it  is  his  turn  to  suffer.  He 
has  brought  me  here.  Well,  he  shall  help  mc  to  re- 
turn." 

He  pulled  up  the  cuffs  of  his  tattered  sleeves.  a»  if 
to  prepare  for  a  struggle,  then  he  crept  round  to  the 
door  of  the  house.  There  was  a  native  stool  there,  a 
heavy  article,  and  he  grasped  it  and  lifted  it  well 
above  his  head.  Then,  without  hesitation,  he  knocked 
loudly  upon  the  door. 


CHAPTER  XIX 
Dick  Strikes  a  Blow 

Bang!  Dick's  knuckles  struck  the  door  of  the  native 
hut  with  a  sharp  rap,  and  he  repeated  the  knock  imme- 
diately. Then  he  listened  eagerly  for  some  sound 
from  the  sleeper  within.  There  was  no  answering" 
call,  and  nothing  to  denote  that  the  man  was  there. 

"Fast  asleep,"  thought  Dick.  "But  he  is  there,  I 
know,  for  on  the  far  side  I  could  hear  his  breathing. 
I'll  knock  again." 

He  was  in  the  very  act  of  doing  so  when  out  of  the 
corner  of  his  eye  he  caught  sight  of  one  of  the  drowsy 
guards  who  lay  beside  the  dying  fire.  The  man  had, 
apparently,  heard  the  knock,  and  had  sat  up  now  to 
see  what  it  meant.  Then  he  sauntered  towards  the 
prisoner's  hut  as  if  to  investigate  the  matter.  The 
escaping  prisoner's  heart  stood  still,  while  his  wits 
worked  rapidly. 

"If  I  returned  and  crept  through  they  might  dis- 
cover the  opening,  and  then  good-bye  to  liberty,"  he 
thought.  "If  I  stay  here  he  will  see  me.  I'll  get  be- 
hind the  hut,  and  if  there  is  an  alarm  I'll  run  for  it. 
Yes,  that  will  be  the  best  plan." 

318 


Dick  Strikes  a  Blow  319 

He  watched  the  guard  closely  as  he  rose  to  his  feet, 
and  then  silently  slid  along  l)ehind  the  hut.  And  as 
he  did  so  the  native  strolled  towards  the  place  where 
the  half-caste  lived  and  peered  at  the  door.  Then  he 
retraced  his  steps  to  the  prison,  and  throwing  the  catch 
down,  stared  in.  Once  more  the  prisoner  held  his 
breath  while  he  tingled  with  excitement.  He  stood  on 
his  toes,  ready  at  the  first  alarm  to  sprint  away  down 
the  street,  while  his  eye  rapidly  picked  out  the  most 
likely  path  to  take.  Then  he  heaved  a  sigh  of  relief, 
relief  the  like  of  which  none  can  appreciate  but  those 
who  have  found  themselves  in  similar  positions.  The 
guard  must  have  mistaken  a  shadow,  perhaps  a  portion 
of  the  palm-leaf  l)ed.  for  the  prisoner,  and  Ijeen  satis- 
fied. He  emerged  from  the  hut,  and  once  more  saun- 
tered up  to  the  door  of  the  one  in  which  James  Langdon 
lay.  As  he  did  so.  a  sound  within  told  that  the  sleeper 
had  awakened.  He  stirred,  came  to  the  door  and 
threw  it  open,  staring  out  at  the  man  suspiciously. 

"You  knocked?"  he  exclaimed.  'Tt  roused  me.  but 
I  was  heavy  with  sleep  and  did  not  rise  at  once.  What 
is  wrong?  You  have  let  the  prisoner  escape!  Dog! 
You  have  let  him  go  at  the  very  last  moment !" 

He  sprang  from  the  doorway  and  gripped  the  man 
by  the  throat,  digging  his  fingers  in  till  the  native 
choked  and  dropped  his  musket.  His  eyes  dilated :  he 
struggled  with  all  his  might,  striking  fiercely  at  the 
half-caste,  and  then  suddenly  became  limp.  Indeed, 
when  James  Langdon  released  his  hold,  the  man  fell 
helpless  to  the  ground.  But  it  seemed  that  he  was 
more  frightened  than  hurt,  for  Dick  had  long  since 
discovered  that  all  in  Kumasi  treated  the  rascal  who 


3  20    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

had  decoyed  him  intO'  captivity  with  unusual  deference, 
owing  perhaps  to  his  friendship  with  the  King,  though 
of  late  his  power  had  been  declining  as  that  of  the 
British  rose.  The  native  gasped,  held  up  an  arm,  and 
endeavoured  to  speak,  while  the  half-caste  stood  over 
him  with  the  musket  as  if  he  would  club  his  brains  out 
with  the  butt. 

"Say  he  is  gone  and  I  will  kill  you  on  the  spot," 
growled  the  ruffian.  "If  he  is  safe,  well  and  good. 
You  shall  be  uninjured.  But  why,  then,  did  you 
knock  ?" 

"Knock !  I  was  lying  at  the  fire  keeping  watch  on 
the  prison  when  I  heard  a  sound  and  came  to  see  what 
it  was.  Doubtless,  some  one  moved  in  a  neighbour- 
ing hut  and  disturbed  me  and  you  also.  Then  I  went 
to  the  prison,  and  found  the  dog  there,  fast  asleep  in 
his  corner." 

"But  some  one  knocked.  I  swear  that.  It  roused 
me,  I  tell  you !" 

The  native  rose  feebly  to  his  feet  and  glanced 
askance  at  the  half-caste. 

"It  must  be  as  I  say."  he  ventured.  "The  sound 
came  from  some  other  hut.  In  any  case,  the  prisoner 
is  safe." 

He  went  off  to  his  fire  again,  muttering  beneath  his 
breath,  for  of  late  the  ruffian  who  had  taken  up  the 
cause  of  the  Ashantis  had  been  somewhat  curious  in 
his  manner.  Gathering  troubles,  perhaps  an  uneasy 
conscience,  and  the  ever-present  dread  of  impending 
punishment,  which  seemed  to  come  closer  and  closer  in 
spite  of  all  his  efforts,  were  having  their  effect.  His 
temper  was  harsh  and  easily  aroused,  he  was  hard  to 


Dick  Strikes  a  Blow  321 

please,  and  wurc  nowadays  a  haggard  l(H)k,  >h«j\\ing 
clearly  that  his  sleep  was  disturbed. 

"Dreams!  dreams!"  growled  the  sentry,  as  he  took 
his  seat  again.  "Dreams  and  the  fire-water  which  he 
has  been  drinking.  It  is  saitl  that  he  and  the  King  sit 
in  the  palace  of  a  night,  smoking  and  taking  fire-water. 
No  wonder  he  sees  and  hears  things  which  do  not  exist. 
I  have  felt  the  same  myself." 

And  the  same  conclusion  must  have  been  dawning 
upon  the  troubled  mind  of  the  rascal  standing  at  his 
door.  He  began  to  wonder  whether  he  had  actually 
heard  the  knocking,  or  whether  it  was  another  of  those 
dreadful  nightmares  which  had  troubled  him  of  late, 
in  which  a  huge  bluejacket,  with  bristling  beard,  had 
stood  above  him  waiting  for  the  word  to  thrust  his 
cutlass  to  his  heart.  He  groaned,  then  stretched  his 
arms  and  yawned,  and  turned  towards  the  prisoner's 
hut.  He  walked  a  few  paces  in  that  direction,  and, 
seeming  to  change  his  mind  and  be  satisfied  with  the 
tale  of  the  sentry,  he  turned  about  and  entered  the  hut 
again.  Dick  at  once  stole  round  to  the  door,  his  stool 
still  grasped  in  his  hand. 

"I  would  rather  have  it  like  that."  he  thought.  "He 
is  awake  and  able  to  take  care  of  himself.  He  had  a 
revolver  strapped  at  his  belt,  and  therefore  is  armed, 
far  better  than  I  am.     He  shall  have  a  glimpse  of  me. 

and  then Well,  it  is  his  life  or  mine,  and  I  have 

given  him  warning." 

There  was  no  time  to  hesitate,  and  though  Dick 
would  have  scorned  to  strike  a  defenceless  man,  he 
had  every  excuse  for  making  an  attack  upon  this  rascal 
who  had   so   often   injured    him.     He   hardened   his 


32  2    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

heart,  therefore,  and  having  ascertained  that  the  guard, 
who  had  so  recently  appeared,  was  seated  near  the 
fire  some  httle  distance  away,  and  with  his  back  turned 
in  that  direction,  he  shpped  up  to  the  door  and  knocked 
ever  so  gently. 

"Again!  It  is  a  knock!  I  am  not  mistaken. 
Well!" 

James  Langdon,  boiling  over  with  indignation,  and 
with  his  fiery  temper  fully  roused,  strode  to  the  door 
revolver  in  hand  and  threw  it  open.  Then  he  fell 
back  a  pace  in  sheer  amazement,  while  he  stood  for  an 
instant  staring  at  the  figure  barring  his  path.  Used  to 
the  dense  darkness  of  the  interior  of  the  native  hut,  his 
eyes  picked  out  the  features  of  his  prisoner  almost 
instantaneously.  It  was  his  turn  to  gasp  this  time. 
The  suddenness  of  the  apparition  took  his  breath  away 
and  robbed  him  of  his  energy.  Then,  in  a  flash,  he 
realized  that  this  must  actually  be  his  prisoner,  the 
youth  to  whom  he  put  down  all  his  miseries.  A  snarl 
escaped  him,  and  his  fingers  closed  tighter  on  his 
weapon.  In  less  than  a  second  he  would  have  had  it 
at  Dick's  head  and  pulled  the  trigger  had  not  the  latter 
acted.  He  was  satisfied  now ;  he  was  attacking  an 
armed  man  who  had  due  and  proper  warning.  Dick 
struck  with  the  swiftness  of  lightning,  the  heavy  stool 
hitting  the  half-caste  across  forehead  and  face  and 
knocking  him  senseless.  But  the  matter  was  not  fin- 
ished yet,  and  as  the  rascal  fell,  Dick  was  swift  to  fol- 
low up  his  advantage.  He  clutched  at  the  man  and 
lowered  him  gently  to  the  floor.  Then  he  took  his  re- 
volver, and,  throwing  himself  on  his  knees,  peered  out 
at  the  sentry.     The  man  had  turned  on  his  elbow  and 


Dick  Strikes  a  Blow  323 

was  looking  towards  the  hut,   for  he  had  heard   the 
sound  of  the  blow  and  he  was  not  quite  satisfied. 

"Fig-hting  with  his  shadow."  he  growled  at  length. 
"It  will  be  a  good  thing  for  us  when  the  fire-water 
kills  him.  or  a  British  bullet  settles  his  account.  But 
for  him  I  should  be  sleeping  in  comfort,  and  not  sit- 
ting here,  feeling  as  if  1  still  had  his  fingers  about  my 
gullet.  Bah!  Let  him  dream!  Let  him  shoot  him- 
self if  he  wishes." 

The  fellow  expressed  little  surprise  when,  snnie  few 
minutes  later,  the  figure  of  the  half-caste  emerged  from 
the  hut  and  stood  out  in  the  open.  The  native  watched 
him  through  half-closed  eyes,  while  one  hand  sought 
for  his  musket. 

"At  the  risk  of  my  life  I  will  shoot  him  if  he  lays 
a  hand  on  me  again."  he  said.  "But  it  would  lead  to 
certain  execution." 

The  figure  stood  lolling  against  the  wall  of  the  hut, 
with  his  hat  drawn  down  over  his  eyes,  his  collar 
turned  up  at  his  ears,  while  his  hands  were  sunk  in  his 
pockets.  He  was  cold.  He  shivered  and  then  stamped 
his  feet.  A  little  later  he  began  to  pace  backward 
and  forward,  and  as  if  a  sudden  thought  had  (x:curred 
to  him,  went  to  the  door  of  the  prison.  He  threw 
it  open,  glanced  in,  and  then  shut  and  barred  the  door 
again  with  every  sign  of  satisfaction. 

"Safe  and  sound,"  he  said.  "He  will  not  escape 
the  knife  of  the  executioner.  You  can  go.  You  and 
your  comrade.  I  cannot  sleep,  and  will  keep  watch 
myself." 

Astonishment  and  delight  were  written  on  the  fea- 
tures of  the  guard,  but  he  did  not  demur.     The  oppor- 


324    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

tnnity  to  be  rid  of  a  hated  duty  was  too  good  to  be 
ignored,  and  at  once,  rousing  his  comrade,  the  two 
went  off  down  the  street.  And  Dick  watched  them  as 
he  lolled  there,  hands  in  his  breeches  pockets.  He  had 
taken  an  enormous  risk  in  acting  as  he  had  done,  but 
he  felt  that  it  was  the  surest  way  to  regain  his  liberty. 
He  argued  with  much  justice  that  dressed  in  the  clothes 
of  the  half-caste  he  would  be  taken  for  that  rufifian, 
while  the  darkness  would  hide  all  deficiencies.  As  to 
the  voice,  he  could  simulate  that.  He  could  speak 
grufliy,  as  if  the  night  air  affected  his  throat,  while  he 
had  sufficient  command  of  the  language  now  to  carry 
the  plan  out  fully.     And  so  far  it  had  succeeded. 

"\Miich  means  that  my  escape  will  probably  not  be 
discovered  till  to-morrow  morning.  Perhaps  not  even 
then.  That  will  give  me  a  start,  and  with  a  little  luck 
I  shall  be  able  to  get  well  away.  Now  for  food  and 
ammunition." 

He  dived  into  James  Langdon's  hut  again,  and 
searched  for  the  articles  which  he  required.  Some 
minutes  later  he  reappeared,  and  having  ascertained 
that  the  coast  was  clear,  he  strode  down  the  wide  street 
of  Kumasi,  his  eyes  peering  in  all  directions  in  search 
of  an  enemy.  He  had  arrived  at  a  point  only  a  little 
distance  removed  from  the  opposite  end  of  the  town, 
when  a  sound  suddenly  startled  him.  It  was  the  voice 
of  a  man  in  agony — a  deep,  heart-rending  groan, 
which  brought  him  to  an  abrupt  halt,  and  set  him  listen- 
ing to  its  repetition. 

"One  of  the  poor  beggars  whom  these  ruffians  tied 
up  in  the  forest  to  die,"  he  said  to  himself.  "If  I  could 
I'd  help  him.     But  how  can  I  manage  such  a  thing? 


Dick  Strikes  a  Blow  j^2^ 

I'd  not  leave  this  place  without  trying  to  rescue  the 
other  Europeans  if  1  thought  that  possible.  But  it's 
not.  They  are  scattered,  and  the  attempt  would  be 
fatal.     My  word!  what  cruelty!" 

The  groan  came  to  his  ears  again,  and  after  it  a 
second,  deeper  in  tone,  as  though  forced  from  the  lips 
of  the  wretch  who  uttered  it  by  the  utmost  depths  of 
misery  and  pain.  It  was  horrible!  If  Dick's  blood 
had  stirred  at  the  sight  of  the  cruelties  perpetrated  by 
the  executioners,  it  boiled  now  at  the  thought  of  those 
two  unhappy  natives,  captives  of  the  Ashantis.  who 
had  been  tied  up  in  the  forest,  their  cheeks  perforated 
with  the  knives  to  hold  down  the  tongue  so  that  they 
could  not  talk,  and  left  there  to  moan  and  die  soon  if 
the  fates  were  to  be  kind  to  Kumasi  and  its  King,  and 
to  the  unfortunate  victims  also,  or  to  live  on  in  abject 
suffering  for  many  days,  till  thirst  and  starvation 
brought  unconsciousness. 

"I'll  go  to  them,"  he  said,  after  a  minute's  thought. 
"I  can't  leave  this  awful  place  with  their  groans  in  my 
ears.  I'll  risk  releasing  them,  and  perhaps  they  may 
help  me." 

His  resolution  was  made  and  adhered  to  in  spite  of 
the  obvious  delay  and  danger  it  would  cause.  But  he 
had  a  soft  heart,  and  could  not  bear  to  think  of  such 
miser)'.  Turning  aside  he  slipped  down  between  two 
of  the  houses  and  came  to  a  fcetid  stream,  in  which,  no 
doubt,  lay  the  btjdies  of  many  of  yesterday's  victims. 
He  crossed  it  in  safety,  standing  Ixick  a  little  way 
and  jumping  as  far  as  possible  into  the  darkness. 
Then  there  were  other  houses  to  pass,  and  another 
row  of  dying  embers,  before  none  of  which  could  he 


326    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

see  a  single  Ashanti.  They  were  all  abed,  and  the 
only  denizens  of  this  loathsome  place  who  were  awake 
were  a  few  stray  mongrel  curs,  one  of  which  started 
from  its  lair  beside  one  of  the  houses,  and  hearing  the 
thud  of  Dick's  feet  as  he  landed  on  the  far  side  of  the 
stream,  set  up  a  loud  barking,  which  was  taken  up 
almost  instantly  by  a  score  of  others  elsewhere.  But 
suddenly  a  gruff  voice  from  within  one  of  the  huts 
commanded  silence,  and  the  baying  ceased. 

"Then  I  can  go  on,"  said  Dick.  "I  thought  it  was 
going  to  lead  to  more  trouble,  for  if  the  dogs  were 
to  sight  me  they  would  follow,  making  enough 
noise  to  awake  the  whole  of  the  town.  Here  we 
are.  Here  is  the  forest,  and  I  fancy  I  am  in  the  right 
direction." 

It  was  still  very  dark,  and,  in  fact,  had  it  not  been 
for  the  many  fires,  he  would  hardly  have  found  his 
way  as  he  had  done.  Perhaps  he  would  have  blundered 
against  one  of  the  huts,  or  even  come  upon  some  wan- 
derer. Not  that  he  would  therefore  have  been  discov- 
ered to  be  an  escaping  prisoner.  He  would  have  car- 
ried out  his  role  of  being  the  half-caste,  and  if  that 
failed  there  was  the  revolver.  But  fortune  favoured 
our  hero  on  this  occasion,  and  in  a  little  while  he 
gained  the  forest  and  plunged  into  its  black  depths. 
Groping  his  way  blindly  through  it,  striking  his  shins 
against  fallen  boughs  and  trunks  of  trees,  and  some- 
times almost  breaking  his  head  against  similar  obstruc- 
tions, he  finally  found  himself  on  a  native  path,  along 
which  the  way  was  easy. 

"A  piece  of  great  luck,"  he  thought,  "and  this  prob- 
ably leads  to  the  spot  where  the  poor  fellows  are  im- 


Dick  Strikes  a   Blow  327 

prisoned.     I'll  keep  along  for  a  little,  and  then  give 
them  a  whistle." 

But  he  had  no  need  to  do  that,  for  after  a  little 
while,  when  he  had  traversed  some  fifty  yards  or  more, 
the  same  miserahle  groan  came  to  his  ear,  and  gave 
him  indisputable  evidence  of  the  proximity  of  the  cap- 
tives. A  few  minutes  later  he  was  close  to  them.  and. 
passing  to  the  two  trees  to  which  they  were  Ix^-und, 
ran  his  hands  over  their  bodies.  The  miserable  na- 
tives had  l)een  placed  some  two  feet  from  the  ground 
against  the  tmnks  of  enormous  cotton  trees,  and  tiieir 
hands  and  feet  had  been  dragged  backwards  by  means 
of  ropes,  and  so  tightly  that  they  did  not  slip  to  the 
ground.  The  agony  of  such  a  position  can  be  imag- 
ined, and  if  to  that  be  added  the  torture  of  two  native 
knives  thrust  right  through  the  cheeks,  some  estimate 
can  l)e  obtained  of  the  barbarities  practised  by  the 
Ashantis,  of  their  insane  and  meaningless  cruelty,  and 
of  the  urgent  need  there  was  for  some  more  enlight- 
ened nation  to  come  to  the  town  and  stop  the  practice. 
Dick  slid  his  hand  up  to  the  check  of  the  first  of  the 
unhappy  men.  and  gently  withdrew  the  knives.  Then 
he  spoke  to  him  in  low  tones. 

"Who  are  you?*"  he  asked,  first  in  Ashanti.  and  then 
in  the  Fanti  tongue. 

"We  are  Assims."  came  the  answer,  low  and  in- 
distinct, for  the  knives  had  almost  robbed  the  man  of 
the  power  of  speech.  "We  were  cai)tured  months  ago 
and  imprisoned  at  Kumasi.     Who  are  you?" 

"A  white  man  from  the  coast,  also  a  prisoner,  till  an 
hour  ago.  Will  you  swear  to  follow  me  if  I  set  you 
free?" 


328    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

There  was  no  mistaking  the  earnestness  of  the  re- 
ply, or  the  man's  eagerness  to  be  cut  free  of  his  lash- 
ings. 

"Release  us,  and  we  shall  owe  you  our  lives,"  he 
answered.  "We  are  set  here  to  die,  and  if  you  give 
us  life  and  liberty,  we  will  follow  you  and  fight  for 
you.  We  are  allies  of  the  great  white  chiefs,  and 
you  can  trust  us." 

Without  more  ado  Dick  took  one  of  the  ghastly 
knives  and  cut  the  man  down,  doing  the  same  for  his 
comrade  a  minute  later.  Stretching  them  with  all  care 
and  gentleness  on  the  ground,  he  set  to  work  to  rub 
their  limbs,  for  it  was  not  so  long  ago  that  he  had 
experienced  the  cruel  result  of  tight  lashings.  He  had 
known  what  it  was  to  feel  a  tingling  in  his  extremities, 
and  then  acute  pain,  as  if  feet  and  hands  would  burst. 
And  later,  when  the  cords  were  cut  loose,  the  agony 
of  returning  life  to  his  limbs,  the  inability  to  move 
finger  or  toe  or  to  support  his  weight.  And  to  cure 
him  the  inhuman  monster  who  had  borne  the  name  of 
James  Langdon  had  thrashed  him  till  strength  had 
come.  Well,  the  half-caste  was  dead.  Dick  had  struck 
him  a  blow  which  had  crushed  in  his  skull  as  if  it  had 
been  an  egg-shell,  and  thinking  of  it  now  as  he  rubbed 
the  limbs  of  these  poor  fellows,  he  could  only  rejoice, 
and  congratulate  himself  that  he  had  done  bare  justice. 

"It  was  man  to  man,"  he  thought.  "He  deserved 
his  death,  and  he  had  due  warning.  It  was  not  as  if  I 
had  knocked  and  then  struck  him  in  the  darkness  of 
the  hut.  I  gave  him  a  chance,  and — well,  the  best  man 
won.     Now,  how  are  you  both?" 

The  poor  fellows  were  trembling  with  joy,  and  wept 


Dick  Strikes  a  Blow  329 

freely.  By  now  they  had  reg"ained  to  some  extent  the 
use  of  their  hands,  and  they,  too,  rubbed  at  their  feet 
till  they  were  able  to  stand  and  hobble  a  few  paces. 

"We  will  wait  till  you  are  quite  able  to  walk."  said 
Dick.  "We  have  far  to  go  to-night,  and  it  will  \)Q 
better  to  sacrihce  a  few  minutes  here  than  to  lose  them 
on  the  road.  Do  not  hurry.  Soon  you  will  be  strong 
again." 

"We  are  fit  to  go  now,"  at  last  said  the  spokesman 
of  the  two.    "Where  will  the  white  man  turn  his  face?" 

"To  the  Pra.  Our  troops  are  there,  and  if  we  can 
meet  them  we  are  safe.  Do  either  of  you  know  the 
road?" 

There  was  an  exclamation  from  both  at  once. 

"We  have  marched  it  time  and  again."  said  one. 
"As  slaves  we  have  accompanied  the  Ashanti  armies, 
and  we  can  find  tiie  road  even  in  the  dark.  But  we 
must  be  careful.  There  are  thousands  of  men  alx)ut, 
and  if  we  met  them  we  should  be  killed." 

"Then  you  will  want  weapons.  Pick  up  the  knives 
and  tuck  them  in  your  waist  cloths.  Xow  lead  the 
way.  Better  still.  We  will  cut  a  vine  and  hold  on 
to  it.     Then  there  will  be  no  straggling." 

A  little  later  the  three  set  out.  the  leader  setting  the 
direction  along  the  path  without  a  moment's  hesita- 
tion. 

"It  will  lead  us  to  the  main  war  road."  he  explained, 
"and  after  that  all  will  be  easy.  There  is  but  one  way 
to  the  Pra,  for  the  forest  is  too  thick  for  many  paths 
to  be  cut.  Follow,  white  chief,  and  I  will  take  you  to 
the  river." 

All  that  night  the  trio  kept  on  through  the  forest, 


330    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

their  way  made  easy  by  the  path  cut  and  kept  free  of 
undergrowth  with  constant  labour.  Now  and  again 
they  would  call  a  halt,  for  the  two  captives  whom  Dick 
had  rescued  were  still  very  feeble,  and  their  feet  and 
ankles  were  greatly  swollen.  But  it  is  wonderful  what 
an  amount  of  ill-treatment  a  native  can  put  up  w^ith  at 
times,  and  how  marvellously  they  recover  from  the 
most  serious  of  wounds.  True,  they  have  as  a  rule 
little  stamina,  and  sickness  cuts  them  down  by  the  hun- 
dred. But  perhaps  because  of  the  life  they  lead  these 
natives  of  Africa  often  show  less  sensitiveness  to  pain 
than  do  Europeans,  and  therefore  can  put  up  with 
injuries  w^hich  with  the  majority  of  white  men  would 
prove  quickly  fatal.  And  so,  in  spite  of  the  hours 
that  these  men  had  been  dangling,  they  were  able  to 
march,  for  the  wounds  in  the  cheeks  were  of  small  con- 
sequence. When  day  dawned  many  miles  intervened 
between  themselves  and  Kumasi. 

"We  will  seek  for  a  hiding  place  and  rest,"  said 
Dick,  as  the  light  beneath  the  trees  grew  stronger. 
"As  the  afternoon  comes  we  can  push  on  again.  Let 
us  gather  some  fruit  and  have  a  meal." 

Late  on  the  following  afternoon  three  weary  men, 
one  a  white  youth  dressed  in  tattered  clothing  which 
showed  signs  of  much  travelling,  tottered  across  the 
bridge  which  the  engineers  had  erected  across  the 
Prahsu,  and  made  for  the  hutted  camp  of  the  British. 
On  all  sides  men  were  bustling  to  and  fro.  Natives 
were  carrying  bales  and  boxes  on  their  heads,  sailors 
and  soldiers  were  lolling  about  the  open  camp  fires, 
smoking  their  pipes  and  yarning,  while  at  the  far  side 
of  the  bridge  was  a  kilted  sentry,  striding  to  and  fro. 


Dick  Strikes  a  Blow  331 

He  stared  at  the  new-comers,  brought  his  rille  from 
the  slope,  and  dropped  the  bayonet  level  with  Dick's 
chest. 

"Xot  so  fast,  me  lad."  he  said  g^ily.  "Where  from? 
\\''hom  do  you  want  to  see  ?  'Alt,  or  there's  going  to 
be  trouble." 

That  brought  them  up  suddenly  and  set  Dick  laugh- 
ing. 

"A  fine  welcome  after  two  months'  absence,"  he  said. 
"Sentry,  I  want  to  see  the  Chief  of  the  Staff,  and  after 
that  Mr.  Emmett.  As  for  where  I've  come  from, 
Kumasi  is  the  answer.  Xow,  how  long  have  you  been 
here?" 

"My  business,  young  feller,"  was  the  reply,  when 
the  sentry  had  recovered  from  his  astonishment  at 
being  answered  in  his  own  tongue,  for  Dick  might 
ha\e  been  of  any  nationality.  "Yer  want  the  chief, 
do  yer?  'Ere,  Corporal  McVittie,  take  these  fellers  to 
the  sergeant  of  the  guard." 

A  little  later  our  hero,  with  his  two  black  compan- 
ions, was  being  marched  under  escort  in  amongst  the 
huts,  and  was  finally  brought  to  a  halt  opposite  a  col- 
lection of  tents  devoted  to  the  use  of  the  leaders  of  the 
expedition.  There  were  British  officers  standing  or 
sitting  in  front  of  many  of  these,  while  the  dress  of 
some  showed  that  they  belonged  to  the  Royal  Xavy. 
At  one  end  of  the  line  a  Welsh  Fusilier  |)aced  his  soli- 
tar}-  Ijeat,  while  a  blue-jacket,  burly  and  heavily  beard- 
ed, did  sentry  duty  at  the  other  end.  And  it  was  this 
latter  individual  who  first  recognized  the  new-comer. 

"What's  this!"  he  gasped,  stepping  a  little  way  from 
his  beat.     "  'Ere,  sergeant,  split  me !  but  that  'ere's 


33  2    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

]\Ir.  Stapleton !  Mr.  Dick  Stapleton !  Do  yer  'ear 
me?" 

His  face  flushed  red  with  indignation  at  the  sight 
presented  to  him,  but  disciphne  was  discipHne,  and 
already  he  had  said  too  much.  However,  before  the 
sergeant  of  the  guard  could  answer,  a  number  of 
officers  emerged  from  a  tent  close  by  and  faced  the 
white  youth  and  natives  under  escort.  There  was  a 
loud  exclamation  of  surprise,  and  in  a  moment  Dick 
was  gripping  the  hand  of  the  Chief  of  the  Staff,  while 
close  to  him  was  Jack  Emmett,  bronzed  with  the  sun, 
eagerly  waiting  for  his  share  in  the  greeting. 

"Bless  my  life !  Dick  Stapleton,  reported  as  missing 
on  the  river!  Where  on  earth  have  you  come  from? 
And  looking  so  wan  and  thin,  too !'' 

"From  Kumasi,  sir.  I  was  taken  prisoner,  and 
escaped  two  nights  ago.  I  brought  these  two  Assims 
along  with  me.  They  had  been  tied  up  in  the  forest 
to  see  how  long  they  could  live  without  food  and  water, 
I  suppose  so  that  the  enemy  might  have  some  augury 
of  their  fortunes.  They  know  the  ground  perfectly, 
sir.  You  asked  for  that  information,  and  here  it 
is." 

There  was  a  commotion  in  the  camp  for  more  than 
an  hour,  and  as  the  night  fell,  and  the  men  gathered 
about  their  huge  log  fires,  every  tongue  wagged  on  one 
story  alone.  But  the  noise  was  greatest  where  the 
bluejackets  had  their  quarters,  for  there  reclined  the 
crew  of  the  launch  which  had  returned  so  disconso- 
lately from  their  quest  up  the  river.  As  for  Dick,  he 
had  been  feted  by  the  officers,  and  ever  since  had  been 
engaged  with  the  members  of  the  staff,  to  whom  he 


Dick  Strikes  a  Blow  333 

gave  all  his  news  of  Kuiiiasi,  and  drew  sketches  of  the 
road  leading  to  the  town. 

"You  have  our  congratulations,"  said  the  Chief,  as 
he  rose  to  bid  him  good  night,  "and  I  may  say  that 
you  have  done  us  inestimable  service,  so  much  so  that, 
though  it  is  not  the  usual  custom,  and  is.  indeed,  an 
exceptional  occurrence,  we  shall  send  your  name  home 
in  our  despatches.  And  now  for  to-morrow,  when  we 
advance.  You.  with  your  two  natives,  will  be  well  in 
our  front  with  the  remaining  scouts  under  Lord  Gif- 
ford  and  others.  When  you  come  to  Kumasi  you 
may  find  it  necessary  to  fall  back  on  us  for  support." 

"And  if  the  Ashantis  are  in  the  same  condition  of 
panic,  may  I  advance,  sir?"  asked  Dick,  quietly.  "I 
have  everv  reason  for  asking  the  (question,  for  I  know 
roughly  the  whereabouts  of  the  captives,  and  if  I  can 
get  in  at  an  early  hour,  I  may  be  able  to  save  them." 

"You  shall  have  more  men.  You  shall  have  your 
old  crew,  my  lad.  I  know  well  that  you  will  lead  them 
discreetly.  Save  these  prisoners  for  us,  and  you  will 
have  completed  some  very  fine  work.  There.  Off 
you  go,  Mr.  Stapleton.  I  would  willingly  keep  you 
and  listen  to  all  you  have  to  say,  but  I  see  that  you  are 
very  tired.  And  besides,  we  are  ofT  at  cock-crow  to- 
morrow." 

Once  m<3re  he  shook  hands  with  our  hero  and  nodded 
adieu.  Then  he  stepped  across  to  the  tent  occupied 
by  Sir  Garnet,  and  told  him  of  the  remarkable  occur- 
rence. 

"A  really  gallant  and  modest  lad,  General."  he  said, 
feelingly.  "1  could  not  be  prouder  of  him  had  he  been 
my  own  son." 


3  34    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

When  morning  dawned  on  the  following  day  the 
hutted  town  was  all  bustle  and  hurry,  and  very  soon 
the  bridge  over  the  river  resounded  to  the  tramp  of 
many  feet,  for  the  punitive  army  was  on  the  march. 
The  last  stage  of  this  short  and  historic  campaign  had 
commenced. 


CHAPTER  XX 
The  Destruction  of  Kiimasi 

Excitement  rose  high  early  that  morning-  as  the  main 
body  of  the  British  force  crossed  the  bridge  over  the 
Prahsu  and  began  their  invasion  of  Ashanti  proper, 
for  stern  fighting  was  expected.  It  was  known  now 
that  the  protectorate  on  the  coast  side  of  the  river  was 
freed  of  all  enemies,  so  effective  had  been  the  opera- 
tions carried  out  by  Sir  Garnet,  and  in  addition,  thanks 
to  the  information  supplied  by  Dick  and  his  two  men, 
and  by  Lord  Gifford,  one  of  the  most  valuable  oftkers 
in  this  campaign,  it  was  ascertained  for  certain  that 
the  road  on  the  Ashanti  side,  as  far  as  a  range  of  hills 
known  as  the  Adansi  range,  was  also  entirely  clear. 
Beyond  that  the  enemy  lurked,  while  there  were  ru- 
mours that  large  Iwdies  were  operating  on  the  flanks, 
prepared  to  close  in  on  us. 

Not  a  snap  of  the  fingers  did  our  gallant  fellows  care 
for  this  news.  They  itched  to  be  at  Kumasi,  and  in 
their  hearts  all  had  registered  a  vow  to  strike  hard  in 
the  interests  of  mercy.  For  even  the  men  who  had 
only  recently  landed,  and  who  had  marciicd  directly 
up-country,  had  seen  sutTiciont  to  convince  them  that  it 

335 


336    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

was  high  time  that  King  Koffee  and  his  barbarians 
were  subjugated.  On  every  road  the  Ashantis  had 
left  their  sacrifices,  wretched  slaves  done  to  death  with 
horrible  mutilations,  or  lashed  to  trees  and  left  there  to 
die  like  those  two  poor  fellows  at  Kumasi.  And  so 
every  man  pressed  forward  eagerly,  keen  to  reach 
Kumasi  and  punish  these  miscreants,  and  then  eager 
to  return  to  the  coast  again,  for,  despite  quinine  every 
morning,  and  the  most  rigid  adherence  to  special  rules 
to  ward  off  the  fever,  that  enemy  already  had  a  grip  of 
the  attacking  force. 

Dick  and  his  little  band,  accompanied  by  Jack  Em- 
mett  and  Johnnie,  and  with  a  naval  officer  in  addition, 
marched  in  the  very  centre  of  the  road,  wide  awake, 
and  keenly  searching  every  bush  and  every  likely  bit 
of  cover.  As  they  advanced  and  the  days  passed  they 
joined  with  the  troops  in  many  little  skirmishes  in 
which  they  drove  the  enemy  back.  At  last,  at  a  place 
known  as  Amoaful,  they  gained  information  that  the 
Ashantis  were  in  full  force  and  sent  back  the  news. 
Indeed,  from  tidings  which  they  and  Lord  Gifford  had 
gathered,  there  were  at  least  twenty  thousand  Ashantis 
barring  the  path. 

"We  shall  see  fighting,  chief,"  said  one  of  the  men 
whom  Dick  had  rescued.  "These  Ashantis  have  chosen 
well,  for  look  at  the  bush.  We  have  been  crossing  land 
which  is  more  or  less  open.  But  here  it  is  very  dense, 
and  though  there  are  many  paths  through  it  they  are 
hard  to  follow.  If  we  beat  them  now  they  are  con- 
quered altogether." 

It  was,  as  he  had  said,  a  most  difficult  piece  of  coun- 
try,  and  on  closer  inspection  it  was  found  that  the 


The  Destruction  ot  kumasi  ^^^j 

paths  to  which  the  native  had  alluded  were  tracks 
about  eight  feet  wide,  down  which  the  rain  rusiied  in 
torrents  in  th.e  wet  sea:.on.  As  a  consecjuence  these 
paths  had  sunk  considerably,  leaving  a  narrow  chan- 
nel with  steep  banks,  and  on  either  side  a  dense  and 
almost  impenetrable  barrier  of  forest.  Yet.  from  pre- 
vious experience,  it  was  known  that  the  Ashantis  could 
and  would  make  use  of  the  forest,  wriggling  their  way 
through  it  with  great  rapidity. 

It  was  obvious  to  all  that  the  critical  hour  had  ar- 
rived, and  very  soon  the  orders  for  the  advance  were 
issued. 

"You  will  advance  and  get  into  touch  directly  in 
your  front,"  said  the  officer  who  came  to  Dick.  "Fire 
steadily,  and  move  on  very  slowly,  as  otherwise  you 
may  get  ahead  of  the  other  detachments  and  nm  the 
danger  of  being  cut  off.  Listen  to  the  bugle  calls,  and 
never  fire  unless  you  are  sure  that  it  is  against  the 
enemy.  It  is  so  easy  to  jjecome  confused  in  the  bush. 
Directly  behind  you  will  be  the  Highlanders,  the  Welsh 
Fusiliers,  some  artiller\-.  and  a  couple  of  small  giins 
and  rocket-troughs.  Be  sure  to  notify  your  position 
to  them.  On  the  left  you  w  ill  have  the  Xaval  Brigade, 
a  native  regiment,  some  engineers  and  rocket-troughs. 
On  the  right  there  will  1^  the  remainder  of  the  Xaval 
Brigade,  some  native  levies  and  detachments  of  engi- 
neers and  artillery.  There.  You  have  the  orders  in 
full,  and  may  advance  immediately." 

Dick  saluted  and  went  Ixick  to  his  men.  and  very 
soon  they  were  engaged  with  the  enemy.  As  to  the 
other  columns  they  broke  into  skirmishing  order,  and 
\vent  forward  at  a  run  till  they  gained  the  bush.    Then 


33^    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

the  musketry  duel  became  extremely  fierce,  the  crackle 
of  firearms  being  incessant.  There  had  been  nothing 
like  it  in  the  whole  campaign  before,  for  the  enclosed 
woods  added  to  the  roar  of  the  rifles.  Our  troops 
broke  into  section,  three  in  advance  of  each  company 
and  one  in  rear,  as  a  support,  and  the  men  soon  thrust 
a  passage  for  themselves  through  the  jungle.  But, 
just  as  formerly,  no  enemy  was  visible.  It  was  a  duel 
of  sniders  and  rockets  against  guns  firing  slugs,  and 
our  soldiers  and  sailors  had  only  the  smoke  and  the 
flashes  at  which  to  aim.  The  air  above  them  was 
torn  with  hundreds  of  pellets,  and  on  every  side  the 
leaves  and  twigs  fell  like  rain,  cut  and  lacerated  by 
the  missiles.  Men  and  officers  were  struck  in  all  di- 
rections, and  yet  they  persevered.  At  first  it  was  very 
slow  w^ork,  for  the  Ashantis  clung  to  their  posts  in 
spite  of  the  heavy  fire.  However,  w4ien  some  two 
hours  had  passed,  and  Dick  and  his  men,  who  were 
now  joined  by  the  Highlanders,  had  advanced  scarcely 
more  than  a  hundred  yards,  a  gun  and  the  rocket- 
troughs  came  into  action,  the  boom  of  the  latter  shak- 
ing the  forest.  They  were  answered  by  a  perfect  babel 
of  shouts  and  the  firing  of  thousands  of  guns,  showing 
clearly  the  strength  of  the  enemy.  Then,  as  the  High- 
landers pressed  forward  and  the  enemy  retired,  and 
finally,  as  the  bagpipes  struck  up,  and  the  gallant  Scots 
got  to  their  legs  and  charged  down  the  position,  the 
Ashantis  broke  and  ran  for  their  lives.  Meanwhile, 
on  the  right  and  left  flanks,  our  flanking  parties  were 
being  very  heavily  engaged  at  close  quarters.  At 
length  that  on  the  left  drove  their  enemy  back,  and 
were  able  to  advance,  while  on  the  right  the  Ashantis, 


The  Destruction  of  Kumasi  339 

probably  ignorant  of  the  fate  of  their  comrades  on  the 
other  flank,  held  manfully  to  their  position.  Their 
fire  here  was  terrific,  so  rapid,  in  fact,  that  it  was 
thought  that  they  must  have  slaves  with  them  ready 
to  hand  loaded  muskets  and  reload  those  discharged. 
However,  as  soon  as  the  gims  and  rockets  had  got  to 
work  the  order  was  given  to  advance.  And  now,  in 
a  few  moments,  the  scene  was  changed.  Hitherto  our 
men  had  been  fighting  more  or  less  silently,  their  rifles 
alone  breaking  the  stillness,  with  an  occasional  boom 
of  a  gun  or  rocket,  or  a  bugle-call.  But  as  the  advance 
was  sounded,  and  the  men  plunged  into  the  bush  to 
hunt  the  enemy  from  his  favourite  lair,  there  was  a 
British  cheer,  and  then  the  roar  of  savage  natives.  The 
dusky  levies  whom  we  had  enlisted,  and  who  had  done 
admirably  in  this  acticai.  were  now  the  avengers.  They 
slung  their  muskets,  drew  their  long  knives  and  native 
swords,  and  plunged  with  shrieks  of  delight  into  the 
forest.  And  numbers  of  Ashantis  died  that  day  at 
tb.eir  hands,  thereby  paying  the  penalty  of  many  an 
atrocity. 

The  engagement  had  lasted  fully  five  hours,  and 
during  all  that  time  Dick  and  his  little  party  had  kept 
together,  and  had  fired  continuously.  Thanks  to  their 
previous  experience,  they  were  able  to  undertake  this 
new  class  of  warfare  with  more  knowledge  than  their 
comrades.  They  kept  in  couples,  and  each  couple  re- 
tained its  touch  with  that  on  either  side  by  means  of 
shouting,  and  in  this  order  they  left  the  tracks,  and 
crept  right  into  the  woods. 

"Our  own  side  know  where  we  are  and  what  we 
are  doing,  so  we  will  hold  our  fire  whenever  I  signal." 


340    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

said  Dick.  'That  means  advance  again  some  thirty 
yards,  keep  close  to  the  ground.  Then,  when  we  are 
quite  near  the  enemy  I  will  whistle,  and  we  will  pour 
in  our  volleys." 

For  an  hour  it  had  been  impossible  to  carry  out  this 
manoeuvre,  but  gradually,  as  the  Highlanders  drove 
the  enemy  farther  into  the  woods,  Dick  and  his  men 
advanced.  Their  method  of  attack  proved  disastrous 
to  the  Ashantis,  for  on  several  occasions  the  latter 
were  so  occupied  with  the  fire  from  the  Highlanders 
that  they  did  not  notice  the  silent  approach  of  the 
sailors,  and  these  men  were  able  to  get  to  quite  close 
quarters.  Then  Dick's  whistle  sounded,  a  terrific  vol- 
ley was  poured  in,  and  at  once  the  whole  party  were 
on  their  feet,  charging  down  upon  the  enemy. 

It  was  not  a  matter  of  surprise,  after  such  a  stern 
engagement,  to  find  that  every  one  of  this  gallant  band 
was  wounded,  one  sailor  being  entirely  disabled  by  a 
slug  through  his  thigh.  The  remainder  had  many 
wounds,  but  none  of  them  were  very  serious;  and 
later,  when  the  overworked  surgeons  had  a  moment 
to  spare,  a  few  small  dressings  and  strips  of  plaster 
were  sufficient. 

In  this  battle  two  hundred  and  fifty  of  our  force 
were  wounded  or  killed,  the  latter  numbering,  fortu- 
nately, only  two.  The  loss  of  the  enemy  was  very 
great,  though  the  actual  number  could  not  be  ascer- 
tained, owing  to  their  custom  of  removing  the  bodies 
wherever  possible.  Still,  there  were  sufficient  left  in 
the  forest  and  on  the  tracks  to  show  that  their  killed 
had  been  very  numerous. 

"And  now  for  Kumasi,"  said  Dick,  as  he  and  his 


The  Destruction  ot  Ivumasi  341 

men  threw  themselves  on  tlie  ground  and  prepared  to 
sleep.  "In  four  days  we  should  be  there  if  the  enemy 
do  not  stop  us.  My  lads,  you'd  better  pull  your  belts 
a  little  tighter,  for  the  baggage  is  nut  up  yet,  and  \ve 
have  no  rations  left." 

It  was  the  same  with  the  whole  force  who  had  been 
in  the  fight;  and  on  that  night  they  lay  down  supper- 
less,  and  slept  just  where  they  had  fought.  Dick  and 
his  men,  however,  contrived  to  fare  a  little  better,  for 
they  had  the  wily  Johnnie  with  them. 

"Yo  stay  still  like  so,"  he  said,  as  he  strutted  up  to 
his  leader.  "Johnnie  see  to  food.  Plenty  in  de  forest. 
Soon  fetch  him." 

He  was  as  good  as  his  word,  for  very  soon  he  came 
back  with  a  number  of  plantains,  and,  splitting  these, 
roasted  them  before  the  fire  which  had  been  made  at 
the  foot  of  a  cotton  tree.  The  meal  was  a  welcome  one, 
though  not  so  nice  as  rations  would  have  Ijeen  on  this 
night.  However,  the  soldier  and  the  sailor  alike  have 
to  take  matters  as  they  come  when  on  service,  and  the 
cheery  spirits  of  the  men  of  the  navy  were  not  damped 
in  the  least. 

On  the  following  day  the  advance  again  commenced, 
and  four  days  later,  having  had  one  very  serious 
meeting  with  the  Ashantis.  commanded  by  King 
KofTee  in  person,  the  trcjops  arrived  within  a  mile  of 
Kumasi 

"We  halt  here  for  half  an  hour."  said  an  otVicer  to 
Dick,  as  he  lay  in  the  bush  with  his  men.  "We  have 
had  a  flag  in  from  King  Koflfee.  and  have  given  him 
that  time  to  surrender." 

"Then  1  will  creep  forward  and  see  that  all  is  clear," 


342    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

was  our  hero's  answer.  "I  have  permission  to  do  so 
from  the  general." 

"In  that  case  you  may  advance.  But  be  cautious, 
Stapleton.  There  are  thousands  of  the  enemy  every- 
where, and  it  would  be  better  to  have  the  Highlanders 
near  at  hand." 

He  left  the  little  party  marvelling  at  the  dash  of  this 
civilian  soldier.  But  he  knew  what  Dick's  object  was, 
and,  with  hmi,  feared  lest  on  the  arrival  of  the  force, 
they  should  find  the  Europeans  massacred.  Dick  and 
his  gallant  little  band,  led  by  the  natives  whom  he  had 
rescued  from  Kumasi,  at  once  took  to  the  forest  again, 
and  carefully  crept  through  it  on  hands  and  knees.  No 
one  ventured  to  speak  a  syllable,  and  whenever  it  was 
necessary  to  issue  an  order  our  hero  raised  his  hand, 
gathered  the  men  close  to  him,  and  signalled.  And 
in  this  way,  passing  betw^een  vast  bodies  of  fleeing 
Ashantis,  \vho  were  so  intent  on  procuring  their  own 
safety,  that  they  failed  to  detect  the  presence  of  the 
British,  the  party  came  at  length  to  the  verge  of  the 
pestilential  swamp  which  borders  the  town  on  one  side. 
Not  till  then,  perhaps,  did  the  bluejackets  fully  compre- 
hend the  force  of  the  tale  which  Dick  had  told  them. 
It  was  only  w^ien  they  came  actually  to  this  spot 
and  saw  the  awful  results  of  the  frequent  execu- 
tions which  took  place  at  this  loathsome  town, 
that  they  realized  the  agony  suffered  there,  and 
the  need  there  was  to  put  a  summary  end  to  it  all. 
Their  teeth  closed  tight,  and  they  gripped  their  rifles 
nervously. 

"If  they'd  only  stand,  the  cruel-hearted  brutes," 
whispered  one  of  the  men,  "we'd  jest  give  'em  sacrifice. 


The  Destruction  of  Kiimasi  ^^^ 

This  here  place  smells  of  the  dead.  Pah!  I  shall  Ite 
glad  when  we're  quit  of  it." 

"Silence!  The  half-hour  is  up  now.  and  in  a  little 
while  we  shall  hear  the  bugle  for  the  advance.  We  will 
march  into  the  town  at  once,  and  shoot  down  any  who 
oppose  us.  These  natives  know  where  the  European 
prisoners  are,  and  will  lead  us  to  them.  As  each  is 
found,  bring  him  along  with  us  till  we  come  to  the 
last.     Ah  !    That's  the  bugle." 

Over  the  summit  of  the  dense  forest  the  faint  notes 
came,  sounding  the  last  advance  movement  of  the 
troops,  and  the  knell  of  the  blood-stained  town  of 
Kumasi.  Dick  and  his  men  rose  to  their  feet,  skirted 
the  marsh,  and  within  ten  minutes  were  in  the  town. 
The  native  guides  led  them  at  once  to  the  quarter  in 
which  the  prisoners  were  Lxated.  Xor  were  they  too 
soon  by  any  means.  For  Kumasi  was  gone  mad. 
Thousands  of  figures  fled  through  the  wide  streets  to 
the  forest  teyond.  while  a  party,  some  two  hundre<l 
strong,  told  off  for  the  purpose,  no  doubt,  by  King 
Koffee,  were  even  then  dragging  the  European  cap- 
tives from  the  prisons  with  the  intention  of  conveying 
them  to  the  temple  of  sacrifice. 

"Charge!"  shouted  Dick,  as  he  came  in  sight  of  the 
force,  and  at  once,  with  a  mighty  cheer,  the  band  of 
sailors  and  young  officers  broke  into  a  run.  .\nd  as 
they  went,  at  an  order  from  their  leader,  they  pulled 
their  triggers  without  lifting  their  rifles  to  their  shoul- 
ders, sending  a  shower  of  bullets  into  the  enemy.  Tlic 
Ashantis  broke  immediately  and  ran  for  their 
lives.  Dick  and  his  men  at  once  surrounded  the 
prisoners. 


344    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

"Good  gracious !  The  last  of  the  prisoners !  How 
did  you  manage  to  get  away  ?" 

Dick  turned  to  find  the  very  European  wlio  had 
spoken  to  him  when  a  prisoner  in  Kumasi,  and  at  once 
rushed  forward  to  shake  him  by  the  hand. 

"I  cut  my  way  out,"  he  answered,  "and — well,  here 
I  am,  while  the  troops  are  just  behind  us.  We  have 
beaten  the  Ashantis  handsomely,  and  they  are  in  full 
flight." 

"While  we  are  safe,  thanks  to  you,''  replied  the 
other,  gripping  Dick's  hand  enthusiastically.  "I  heard 
the  order  given  to  those  fellows  who  have  just  bolted. 
They  were  to  take  us  to  the  execution  hut  and  kill 
us.  A  pleasant  prospect  from  which  you  have 
saved  us !  I  thank  you  for  all  of  my  comrades  and  for 
myself." 

"Then  there  are  four  of  you  in  all?"  said  Dick,  as 
he  counted  the  prisoners  off  and  shook  each  by  the 
hand. 

"Five,"  corrected  the  other.  "The  last  is  ill,  poor 
chap.  He  lies  over  here  in  a  hut  set  by  itself.  I  will 
lead  the  way." 

Still  accompanied  by  the  sailors,  the  party  of  rescued 
prisoners  crossed  the  street  to  a  hut  close  to  the  swamp. 
And  there,  a  mere  skeleton  now,  after  weeks  of  the 
terrible  African  fever,  and  lying  on  a  bed  of  palm 
leaves,  was  ]\Ieinhcer  \''an  Somering,  hardly  recog- 
nizable, too  weak  and  ill  to  speak. 

There  is  little  more  to  tell  of  Kumasi.  Our  troops 
marched  in  within  the  hour  of  Dick's  arrival  and  occu- 
pied the  town.  On  the  following  day.  King  Kofifee 
still  failing  to  send  in  his  messengers  of  peace,  the 


The  Destruction  of  Kumasi  345 

place  was  burned  to  the  ground,  only  tliree  houses 
escaping. 

Then  the  troops  turned  their  faces  to  the  coast  and 
commenced  their  long  march  back.  And,  as  it  proved, 
the  return  journey  was  not  begini  a  moment  too  soon, 
for  the  rains  commenced  in  earnest,  and  ere  the  coast 
was  reached  the  men  had  to  march  along  forest  paths 
thick  with  mud.  and  perhni)S  covered  by  three  feet  of 
water.  Where  before  had  been  smooth  grass  land  was 
now  a  swamp,  extending  for  considerable  distances. 
Then.  too.  at  the  rivers,  it  was  found  that  the  bridges 
erected  by  the  sappers  with  so  much  skill  were  already 
useless,  or  washed  away.  So  the  fine  body  of  men. 
all  more  or  less  wounded,  had  to  wade  across,  carrying 
their  ritles  alxjve  their  heads.  As  for  the  sick,  they 
were  borne  in  hammocks,  and  in  this  manner  Meinheer 
V^an  Somering  reached  the  coast  and  was  straightway 
put  on  board  ship.  Dick  and  Mr.  Pepson  joined  him 
there,  with  Johnnie  to  act  as  servant.  Of  the  gallant 
troops  and  bluejackets  who  ti^ok  part  in  the  campaign, 
a  large  number  were  stricken  down  with  fe\er,  and  of 
these  a  large  proportion  died. 

Never  before  perhaps  had  a  campaign  been  con- 
ducted where  such  difikulties  had  to  lie  contended  with  ; 
and  when  one  comes  to  consider  the  distance  Kumasi 
lies  from  the  coast,  the  cxtctit  and  depth  of  the  forests, 
and  the  extraordinary  nature  of  the  tighting.  one  is 
bound  to  admit  that  never  before  or  since  have  our 
men  showed  more  courage  an<l  persistence,  while  our 
officers  and  their  gallant  leader  couhl  not  have  dis- 
played greater  skill  and  foresight. 

Dick  returned  no  mure  to  the  white  man's  grave. 


34^    With  Wolseley  to  Kumasi 

His  health  had  been  considerably  impaired  by  his  resi- 
dence there,  and,  besides,  he  found  work  awaiting  him 
in  England.  For  Mr.  Pepson  was  a  wealthy  man,  and 
had  need  of  a  partner  in  his  business. 

"Not  a  word,"  he  exclaimed  when  Dick  attempted 
to  thank  him.  "If  I  cannot  do  this  for  one  who  has 
fought  my  battles  so  well,  I  should  indeed  be  ungrate- 
ful. You  deserve  all  that  I  offer,  and  I  am  sure  that 
you  will  make  an  excellent  partner." 

And  this  seemed  to  be  the  opinion  also  of  Mr.  Pep- 
son's  niece,  a  very  charming  girl  some  two  years  Dick's 
junior, 

"Go  to  Africa  again,  Dick !"  she  exclaimed,  when 
he  broached  the  subject,  "That  I  forbid,  because 
uncle  tells  me  that  the  climate  would  kill  you.  And 
he  says  that  he  needs  you  here  in  his  business.  Surely 
that  is  reason  enough  for  your  remaining." 

There  was  a  pretty  little  smile  about  the  corners  of 
her  mouth  as  she  said  the  words,  and  curiously  enough, 
Dick,  the  stublx)rn,  who  had  made  up  his  mind  to  a 
thing  out  in  Ashanti  and  had  carried  it  out.  whatever 
the  danger  and  difficulty,  gave  way  with  the  best  of 
grace  and  with  an  answering  smile  which  spoke  vol- 
umes. Need  the  reader  feel  surprise  when  he  hears 
that  Dick  first  made  his  position  strong  in  Mr.  Pep- 
son's  business,  proving  without  a  doubt  that  he  was  of 
the  greatest  value,  and  that  then  he  asked  his  fair 
friend  a  little  question  ? 

He  has  been  married  for  many  years  now,  and  rents 
a  fine  place  an  hour's  run  from  London.  But  once  in 
each  year  our  hero  is  wont  to  run  up  to  the  capital, 
there  to  meet  a  select  party  of  friends,  all  of  whom  had 


The  Destruction  ot   Kuiiuisi  347 

I;cen  engaged  in  that  fierce  campaign  in  Aslianti.  I'a- 
niiliar  faces  are  there,  and  many  of  the  breasts  which 
in  that  day  boasted  Init  a  single  decoration,  now  gleam 
with  miniatnre  medals.  Dick  wears  a  single  Iwdge, 
the  medal  presented  to  civilian  fighters.  Bnt  he  and 
his  deeds  are  not  forgotten.  There  are  always  the 
heartiest  greetings  awaiting  him.  and.  indeed,  such  is 
his  popularity,  and  so  well  are  his  brave  deeds  remem- 
bered, that  when  his  erect  and  well-known  figure  enters 
the  room  in  which  the  gathering  takes  i)lace.  there  is 
a  general  turning  of  heads,  eager  conversati(»ns  are 
suddenly  arrested,  and  all  advance  to  grip  his  haufl. 
There  is  no  need  for  the  butler  at  the  door  to  announce 
liim.  for  to  every  one  this  tall  and  unassuming  gentle- 
man is  known.  They  smile  a  real  welcome  to  him, 
and  then  the  buzz  of  their  voices  breaks  out  again: 
"It's  Stapleton — gallant  Dick  Stapleton." 


THK  END 


"««^^UB«MraceEBKaEr 


B000^5fl^ 


